My husband seems to be extra money cautious lately. With all that's happening in the economy, it tends to make one a little  nervous. I've been working towards being more methodical in my grocery shopping, etc. in an effort to spend more wisely. I'll be honest, we have created budgets that we quickly don't follow. So, as long as I can pay the bills each month, I generally don't worry. However, this has resulted in us spending all that we earn and saving very little. Which is really not where I want to be.

My husband generally likes the house much warmer that I grew up being accustomed to. My dad believed in keeping the heat low. We had blankets in the living room and we all used them when we were sitting around. I was used to be cooler and, especially, sleeping in a cooler room. This has been a source of contention with my husband at times. I'm wanting it cooler, he's wanting it warmer at night.

Normally, as soon as it cools off slightly, the heat goes on to keep our house at 68-70. I can walk around the house in the winter in a t-shirt most of the time (OK, not JUST a t-shirt, you know what I mean!). But, as I mentioned earlier, my husband is in to creatively cutting corners where we can right now.

I was reading around in blogland, and to be quite honest, I can't remember where I even read it. But, I read that someone was attempting to cut their heating bill by keeping their house at 58. WHY did I mention this to my husband? WHY?

We decided to give it a try.

Winter has not even begun, and mind you I do live in Idaho where we do have winter. The house has been at a balmy 58. I wake up and immediately throw on a sweater or sweatshirt, socks, and my slippers. The last two days I have taken LONG, HOT showers to ensure that my body is warmed up enough to handle the rest of the day. Yesterday, hubby was out hunting, I broke. I confess, I did turn the heat up to 62. Before I went to bed, I turned it down to 61. It's chilly in this here house! But, I am curious to see if it makes a difference in our bill.

I'm feeling bad for my girls when it comes to night time, though. You see, we have an electric blanket on our bed. So, even if the room is cold, my hubby who likes to sleep warm, sleeps very warm. But, the girls do not have this. I keep worrying that they aren't warm enough. However, they all have plenty of blankets on their beds and haven't actually complained about sleeping. It is the mornings that they complain.

The truly sad part about all this is that somehow I am getting the blame. Just because I read some blog. I guess I might have even agreed to giving it a try. WHAT WAS I THINKING????

We are having company on Sunday afternoon. I do hope I can convince him to up it at least to 65 for that

I am not a great cook, and I am definitely into FAST. If I can make it quickly, it moves up on my prepare it list. This is one of those easy dishes that also makes great leftovers. I am not so good with exact measurements though, just as a warning.

Kielbasa sausage sliced into rounds
1/2 onion chopped
1 pkg penne type pasta
Sliced black olives
1 bottle Bernstein's Cheese & Garlic Italian Dressing
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Saute sausage and onion in frying pan until onions are clear

Boil pasta in separate pan

Drain noodles, add in sausage mixture and sliced olives, stir together. Add salad dressing and toss to coat. Add parmesan cheese on top.

This makes a great hot meal or a great pasta salad to take to a potluck.

For more recipes, head on over to Gayle's Recipe Swap.

Well, Tuesday night we had a relatively heavy frost. We had picked a bunch of stuff, but not quite everything. Wednesday evening, Dave and I picked the rest. Our kitchen is overflowing with tomatoes, green onions, bell peppers, and hot peppers (which may not all be quite to the hot stage yet).

I have really enjoyed having a garden and look forward to next summer. I think we learned a lot of things and know some changes we want to make. We had pretty significant success. Only a few things that didn't produce what we were hoping - corn and cucumbers - and that was because we didn't plant them until too late. We knew we were late, but thought we'd give it a try. Just couldn't keep warm enough weather to get what we wanted.

Now, I am trying to use up tomatoes. I've got a batch up salsa, that I'm going to can, on the stove. I am using this recipe from Amy. I also plan on making some of her pizza sauce. Then, I am going to make some tomato soup, that can double as a thinner for spaghetti sauce with this recipe I found. I've got green beans canned, bell peppers frozen, shredded zucchini frozen, rhubarb frozen, picked beets canned, freezer strawberry/rhubarb jam made, and tomatoes canned. I am feeling quite proud of myself. I feel very safe in saying that if you had asked me 10 years ago if I ever thought I would love growing a garden and want to can I could answer with a resounding - NO!!! But, I did it and I even want to do it again.

So, if you have any good canning recipes, please let me know!!

I think since I began even thinking about homeschooling, I had heard to teach to the oldest and the rest will come along.  True confession... I never do this.

When we started homeschooling, my middle daughter had finished kindergarten, so was just mastering reading. Therefore, I spent a lot of time working with her, and sending my oldest off to be as independent as possible.

By the time I got my middle relatively independent, my youngest was starting school, and the whole teaching to read process began. So, I have really been focusing on her and helping her with her work, because she can't do much independently.

I have had some frustrations with my oldest. And, now that she's in 7th grade, I feel a great urgency to be sure we are moving along, she's learning as she should be, and that something is sinking in.

I was talking with a friend not too long ago who really encouraged me to teach her first. I really felt this was a word from God for me. I took it to heart and that is what I've been doing the last week and half. As I've thought about it, I really feel like I"ve cheated my oldest daughter and put more on her than I probably should have. So, I'm really excited about the changes that I'm making and am feeling confident that this is going to be a good year for her. I know I still have a ways to go, but I feel confident that this will be a year of great growth for her and ME!

We've been working on the "keep the room" clean habit for about 2 weeks now. I must say, the girls are doing very well. And, they are enjoying their clean rooms. I am still gently reminding them, and sometimes quite obviously reminding them. Monday was our first day of co-op. The rooms didn't quite get done. I did tell them that it needed to be done on those days as well, and needed to happen as soon as we got home (we were on the way out the door, running late, and I teach first period). They did it. They have all said they like the cleaner rooms.

Our other habit has been taking everything out of the car when we get home. This one is working fairly well, also. The car isn't filling up with garbage, so I am happy. If someone doesn't come home with the car where they left their things, it does stay longer than it should, but it's better than it was.

Our next habit...

Mom not having to constantly tell them to do dishes, empty dishwasher, etc. Currently, the only time these things get done is when I tell them. It's no surprise that it's their duty, but they seem to have constant memory loss about it. If I am not home in the evening, the chances of the dishes being done when I return are slim to none. So, this is our next job to tackle. We could need awhile to work on this one, as it isn't the first time we've discussed it.

I have been not just using my wake up early in the morning time to be on the computer, but have also been using it to be quite productive in the kitchen. I have started dinner, made breakfast, and done some cleaning on many mornings. I am finding lots of new meals to try on the internet and have been scouring for the perfect marinara/spaghetti sauce to can with my tomato, which are finally ripening. I still don't think I've found the recipe I want to use, and am now leaning towards just canning the tomatoes, knowing that I can make them into sauce and it will probably be a lot easier. Here is one blog that I've been finding some inspiration for my grocery shopping, as well as some already done for me meal planning, The Grocery Cart Challenge.

I've never been tagged in Blogland before. I was reading my friend heidi's blog. As I was nearing the end of her tag, I was really hoping she hadn't tagged me. I was so happy to read her list that I was not on it, but then she had to add me on. Since I haven't been playing any of her other games, I thought I'd join in on this one.

The rules of the tag are as follows:

1.Post the rules on your blog.
2.Write six random things about yourself.
3.Tag six people at the end of your post.
4. If you are tagged, JUST DO IT, and pass the tag along.

1.  My husband and I share the base of a Sonicare toothbrush. One of the things that blesses me most when I go to brush my teeth is if he has taken his brush off and left the base free for me. It makes me feel special. It's silly! I know!! But, when he leaves that brush on, it makes me feel like he doesn't care about me. I do tell him how much it blesses me when he leaves the base free for me.

2. I am the mom to three girls. Every time I was pregnant I secretly wanted girls. I was fearful of having boys. I felt bad not wanting a boy, but I was relieved that I had girls. Gratefully, my husband is very happy to be the dad of three girls. He is a great "Girls' Daddy." They adore him.

3. I am terrible at thinking up answers to these games. Thus, the trembling I had when I was getting closer to the bottom of Heidi's list, the momentary relief I had when my name wasn't listed, the sigh when I was graciously added to the overcheiving list! Thanks, I think!!

4. I grew up an Army brat and have lived and traveled all over the world. I lived in Turkey and The Netherlands while I was in high school. We travelled all over Europe - visiting Germany, Italy, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, France, Belgium and of course the countries we lived in. I have lived in Washington, Kentucky, Arizona, Texas, Pennsylvania, Montana, and Idaho. I currently live 2-3 hours from the Canandian border and have NEVER visited Canada. OK, I take that back. We went on vacation in northern Washington a few years back. There's a national park there that actually goes briefly into Canada. I have a picture of me standing in Canadian wilderness. You cannot actually go anywhere in Canada, other than right there. So, for all my world travels and being ever so close in proximity to it, I have never experienced Canada.

5. To follow Heidi's grammar point... My grandmother was a grammar nut and my mom an English major. I was constantly corrected, and therefore am now kind enough to correct my children (and if I know you well enough - you) whenever you improperly use "I" and "me". I am also obsessesd with the incorrect use of the words "good" and "well".

6. I have to keep my toenails cut short. It freaks me out if they get too long. Sometimes they get longer if I have polish on them. But if I take the polish off and realize how long they are I can't stop thinking about it until I get them clipped. When I see long toenails it creeps me out. Toenails are supposed to be SHORT.

OK, so now to the tagging - which will also require links - YAY! My only hope is that I have 6 friends who want to play with me. I was never so good at tag on the playground either.

1. Karin - one of my dearest friends ever!!
2. Erin - a great friend and the designer of my website
3. Rachelle - a fellow homeschooler who also happens to be a local friend
4. arkimi1 - another homeschooling mom who has inspired me in the cooking and baking realm
5. Brandy - a board buddy and mom friend on the opposite side of the country
6. Westward - who inspires me with her nature study blogs, as well as many other school related posts, even canning posts

I hope you'll all play! THANKS HEIDI????!!!

My oldest daughter is very smart, but not so good at always applying herself. If she has no interest in something, she will make zero to no effort to understand. Sometimes I get frustrated trying to explain something to her, as I get that blank look from her. As a homeschooling mom, you can imagine, this can be quite frustrating. I want her to love to learn. I read blogs and emails from moms raving about how they can't get their kid to put a book down. I can't get mine to pick a book up!!!

As I wrote about earlier, she is joining a speech and debate club this year. I told her she had to do it this year and we would see after that. I want her to grow in her public speaking skills. I was really wanting her to focus on the speech aspect of it. But, after talking with the debate coach, I was willing to give it a try if she wanted to.

Then I sat in on the first debate meeting. This year's debate has to do with our political policies toward India. The topic alone sent my head reeling. Then they had a practice debate. I was basically lost from the word "go." (OK, that is a slight exaggeration, promise!) Anyway, I was listening to all of this and hearing that I was going to be spending every Wednesday for 4 1/2 hours, plus another 2-3 hours at home on studying/homework, and wondering can my daughter really do this? Will it be torture for me? Will I be forcing her to do her work? Will there be tears? Will I learn more about India than I ever wanted to learn?

So, by the end of class I had decided it was going to be up to her. She needed to understand that I was buying an expensive book and that it was going to require 2-3 hours outside of the meeting time and that I was expecting her to work on it. Are you willing to do that?

Guess what? SHE SAID SHE WANTS TO DO THAT!!

And, it gets better...

Last night when we got home she sat right down and started typing her speech. (We had already picked a book that she wanted to use.) Then, when she couldn't sleep, she spent a good portion of the night working on memorizing it. She's got almost the whole thing done. Now we just need to work on dressing it up!!

Then, she's been on the phone with her friend talking about how it will be fun to learn about India.

Then, she sat down on the computer and is googling information to learn about India. And, composing an email to her friend to help her friend learn more about India as well.

To say that I am speechless (well, I suppose the whole entry may cause you to beg to differ, but you get the idea) would be just a start. I am thrilled that she is taking it seriously. I'm thrilled that she is wanting to put forth the effort. I'm thrilled that she's excited about the challenge of learning about something she knows nothing about.

I'm smiling! My heart is happy!! I love my daughter!!!

Yesterday while we were doing school, my middle daughter was increasingly doing things to annoy me. She was giggling and laughing as we were watching a video, she was playing around through the slider with the cat, she was talking, she was ignoring me, she was pushing my buttons. The final straw came when she began chewing chips in my ear. I tried to ignore it. She chomped in one, paused to wait for reaction, then the other, pause and wait for reaction... etc. I let this continue for a bit, trying to ignore and figuring it will soon stop. She kept it up, I FREAKED OUT!! Whipped around and yelled! She got the picture.

Then, I immediately felt HORRIBLE!! You see, this is the daughter that I am CONSTANTLY trying to remind her to watch her attitude. She gets mad easily. She lashes out at her sisters quickly. She yells. She blames. She falls apart.

I felt about 1" tall. Suddenly the Holy Spirit dropped the bomb on me! I heard that still small voice, "Hmmm, I wonder where she gets it? That was real nice? And she shouldn't blow up because....?"

Yea, it was painful!! I quickly repented. I quickly went and got her (as she had retreated off to cry, because she was hurt). I quickly asked her forgiveness. I gave her a hug and assured her that I loved her. Then, we began - of course - our Bible reading. God was gracious enough to tie the whole thing in with our Bible reading for the day, so I was able to share with my other two girls that I had been wrong and had to ask forgiveness.

I am praying I get this lesson - SOON!!

I know it's a long title, but it's true. The girls are doing so much better at their rooms. On Monday I talked to them about their rooms again, reinforcing what has been happening. Each morning they have been straightening their rooms. I told them Monday night that they can not come downstairs until their rooms are clean. They can go potty if they need to, but otherwise, no coming out of the room until it's clean in the a.m. Before they went to bed I said, "What are you doing first thing?" And they all knew. In the morning I reminded them by saying, "What are you doing first?" So, I'm trying to move from me telling them, to them remembering. We'll try this for a week or so. I'm hoping in the next two weeks this will become automatic. I even included myself in "the game". I tend to pile my clothes. So, Monday morning I got my room all cleaned up as well. It's so peaceful in our upstairs, AHHH!

This morning I encouraged my oldest that she was fulfilling the cleaned up room part, now we need to start decluttering. So, I picked her night stand to have her throw away the garbage. I feel like I can tackle these issues, because the basics are done.

We are also working on the cleaning out the van every time we get out. So, I remind them, "What are we doing when we get home?" They are getting it. I'm annoying them, but they are getting it, slowly but surely.

I was so ready for summer to end and school to start, because I thought for sure things would slow down, we'd at least have routine. It's been crazy!! I'm trying to figure out how to keep my home in order on a daily basis, versus once a week having to shovel out.

My current goal and habit we are working on is the girls' rooms. Every morning last week I inspected to be sure they were clean. It's coming along. I'm really hoping they soon pick up on this habit. I am hoping developing this habit first will help others come more easily. We shall see. I, however, am definitely the sole overseer and drive behind this project. So, I guess I need to work this week on them seeing the importance and having the drive to help out.

The other area I began working on at the end of the week was the van. I, unfortunately, am as close to being the biggest offender as they are. Something gets brought in and never taken out. What really drives me crazy is the garbage. I leave things in, they leave half finished drinks in there. Do you know what happens when a paper cup with liquid sits in a car long enough? It isn't pretty.

I am, however, also looking at the large pile of laundry that needs to be folded, followed closely by the large pile of laundry that needs to be washed.

Why is it that just about the time I feel like I'm getting my act together, it falls apart at the seams?

Perhaps it's because we are too busy. Perhaps I need to re-evaluate. But, then the girls are each enjoying their "thing" and the rest is all stuff I want them to do.

Mondays - co-op day - here they all have their science class. I love this! I know that science will happen! And, often a volleyball game

Tuesdays - Oldest has volleyball practice, middle has drama class, youngest has ballet. I'm very proud of myself. I've figured out how to get all of them to their individual spots in three different parts of town at essentially the same time!!!

Wednesdays - This week we start our weekly speech and debate and then Communicators for Christ meetings. They will take from noon -4 for the oldest. Not as long for the other two. I'm hoping I can get some good school work done with the younger ones during this time.  Perhaps, a volleyball game happens as well.

Thursdays - Oldest has volleyball practice or a game.

Fridays - Middle may have play practice. Oldest may have a volleyball game.

Saturdays - Middle may have play practice. And, Dave and I have a meeting at our senior pastors every other week (it has been weekly but is changing to bi-weekly).

I'm pooped! Just coordinating all the transportation is a bit mind numbing to me.

On top of this taxi schedule, I am supposed to be schooling my girls, teaching two co-op classes, selling real estate, oh yea, and keeping my house in order.

I think I'm heading back to bed!

Last week my oldest daughter was at a speech and debate conference put on by this group. If a conference comes to your area, I HIGHLY recommend it! The founder, Teresa Moon, homeschooled her children and has long been involved in speech and debate. Her mission with Communicators is to help ANYONE learn to speak confidently in ANY public setting. It was incredibly inspiring. The classes are almost all taught peer mentors. They are 17-19 years old. I was so inspired watching these young students. They were amazing, excellent role models and inspiring speakers. Even if my girls never become competitive speakers and debaters, I am so convinced this is such an important skill. And, the earlier the better.

My younger two (10 and 7) attended a one day, Beginning Public Speaking. So, even my 7 year old is gaining confidence in standing up in front of people. All the kids got to practice without even really realizing they were speaking in front of others. It was excellent!!

And, then if you like the conference as much as we did, you can get involved in a local chapter or start your own!!! I highly recommend it!!

(Did you notice my link? Aren't you proud?)

While I like to consider myself somewhat capable on the computer, I must confess that most of the internet world HTML lingo is truly foreign to me. I am, however, a capable learner - I think. So, I am learning how to post a link within my typing. This is a friend of mine who is not so technologically challenge. And, since she is the one giving me technology lessons, I am going to "practice" linking to her blog, where she often makes me smile and then makes me think about where I am in my walk with God.

Sacred & Profane

This is a book by Lois Lowry. My oldest is reading it for one of her free reading books. I started to read it and had to finish it. It was a great, very informative book. If you want an educational and enjoyable read about the Nazi occupation of Denmark, this was great! It was very informative, but I really enjoyed it as well. It's told through the eyes of a 12 year old girl and what her family goes through during this time of occupation.

It made me realize how spoiled we are. Some of the basic food essentials we take for granted weren't even regularly available! I whine over the smallest thing that would have made them happy. Butter was a novelty at that time.

I also learned some things I didn't know. Did you know that Denmark surrendered to Germany, because they knew they would lose a battle. However, they weren't totally giving up. They knew that the Germans would take over their navy ships, so they blew up their own ships! Also, when they began smuggling Jews out of Denmark into Sweden, they developed a decoy that would deaden the senses of the dogs the Nazis brought on board ships to find the hidden Jews.

I was inspired by this family and their commitment to help their friends, despite different beliefs. It's so refreshing to hear that.

If you have children in the 10-14 age, I think they would really enjoy this book. My daugther is enjoying it, too.

Yesterday evening my husband and I had a meeting. We left the girls at home. Although in theory this always seems like a good idea, I often come home disappointed by it. Generally, I give them a job or two and, inevitably, it isn't done the way I was hoping. Often, something else is worse, which makes coming home even more dreadful for me.

A few weeks back I came home and was obviously not happy about what was done. My oldest daughter's comment to me was, "I thought you would be proud of what we did." It really cut deep to my heart. Growing up I had felt that way many times before my father would come home. Even now, there are many times I have felt that way before my husband gets home. And, quickly, the two of them can dash all my excitement and anticipation. In my efforts to bless my husband and to avoid my girls struggling with cleaning the way that I still do, I had become exactly what I have always hurt over.

Last night, we had left with the girls STILL cleaning their rooms. They had been doing this since we got home from church. But, more than once I had gone to check for them and more than once it still wasn't done. I admit, I was fearing coming home. I was fearful to come home to a kitchen that was messier than when I left (and it wasn't pretty). I was just hoping beyond all hope that the clothing and basket I had threatened had better not be there was gone, at the very least. Honestly, I had low expectations and close to no expectations.

I walked into a clean living room, kitchen dining room!!!! They had done ALL the dishes. I didn't even ask!!! They had put away all their things from the living room. I think they even swept! They had dinner waiting on the table for us. It was, seriously, probably the best present they could have EVER given me.

Last year we started using Ambleside Online for our school. One of the basics of the program is narration. My oldest has really struggled with this. She wouldn't even try, was how I felt. I would read something aloud, she would read it to herself, I would have her listen to a CD, she couldn't remember a thing. It would drive me NUTS!!! My middle daughter would know more about what I just read aloud. We worked and worked at it, but I really didn't feel we were making progress. I would read shorter amounts and that would help some, but I didn't have to time to do all the readings so short. I had two other girls that I needed to work with, one who couldn't do anything (mostly) independently. I really needed the oldest one to work more independently. We talked about it, we worked on it, I prayed and toiled over it. Yesterday she gave me the most beautiful narration. I am so impressed with her this school year. She is really making an effort right now. I am proud of her!! So, hopefully she sticks with it and it will be a great year. If you have one struggling with narration, keep at it. There is hope!

We had our first official day today. It went pretty well. We didn't accomplish a couple things I had wanted to do, but they were minor. I am trying to keep the balance between getting it all done and working up to it all getting done. It's a difficult balance for me. I tend to be the all or nothing, so if I don't do it all it quickly becomes nothing and never gets done. But, I am getting better. I have a few subjects that I have really wanted to add, but have been a struggle. One of them is foreign language. My girls wanted to learn German. I don't really know much German, but we have family members that speak German, so I thought it would be a good one. However, my motivation is little and their individual motivation is little. So, it has to happen only when I make it happen. So, that's what I'm working on right now.

Today was a good reminder of why I homeschool. A friend emailed me asking for encouragement, because she had a difficult day. Parts of my day were more frustrating than I wanted them to be, but overall it went well. I was reminded that my days won't be perfect! But, if my girls were in school they wouldn't be any more perfect, just different issues. I was reminded that I would rather work through a bad attitude they have developed at home than a bad attitude they picked up from a classmate emulating habits that they would never see at home. I was reminded that my time with them really is short. My oldest is now on the downhill slide (7th grade). I can barely believe she's old enough to be starting school let alone old enough to be in Junior High. OK, really I can't believe I'm old enough to have a daughter that's in Junior High.

These are just a few things I reminded myself of today. I also found that encouraging a friend made me realize that I really CAN do this. That I have something to impart. That I have vision. That I have abilities.

I'm grateful to God for the opportunity to homeschool my girls. I pray that I am able to teach them all that I should. I pray for wisdom and direction to be right where we need to be.

I woke my oldest up extra early this morning with the instructions of, yet again, looking for the book. It has to be here somewhere!! There's no other place it could be. She was feeling a bit exasperated and as though she had looked everywhere. I was on the verge of meltdown, because I was just so frustrated that the very thing I had been working to organize, so that this wouldn't happen, was still not organized, because this one book was missing!

Her and her dad were praying that she would find it. It was a long shot, but her dad asked her if it might be in the loft of the shop. There's a loft area that the girls have made into a little playhouse type area. They have slept out there a few times this summer and have some toys up there. Why this wasn't the first place she looked (PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF SARCASM IN THE TONE OF THAT QUESTION), I'll never know. BUT THAT'S WHERE IT WAS!!! HALLELUJAH!!! My day could go on and even be an enjoyable one. I was so thankful to Jesus for a husband who listens to the Holy Spirit!

Monday was our first day of school for the new year. It had its moments of good and bad. We got quite a bit of work done. My goal for the first two weeks is to work a lot on math and do some readings that we didn't quite finish last year. There are readings for each girl, but we're doing them all together.

What was the bad, you ask? My oldest cannot find her math book. I would like to say this has never happened. Actually, this very thing happened at the beginning of school last year. I excused it that time, because we were in the midst of moving. It got packed in a box that I didn't know it got packed in. But, here we are again. I was beyond frustrated! I finally printed out some pages from the computer and gave that to her. She STILL HAS NOT FOUND THE BOOK!!! Argh!!!

I got the school room all done! Yipee!! In order to, hopefully, avoid the lost book syndrome that seems to plague my children, we are going to do school in the school room. I have taken out some specific books for the living room. And, I am going to allow them to go to the family room, which is connected to the school room. But, until they are establishing the habit of putting things back where they belong, we are going to be IN THE SCHOOL ROOM.

I found the other two missing books - HOORAY! So, it does give me hope for the math book. I know we had it. It's just a matter of figuring out where in her, um, not so neat room, it could possibly be hiding.

I wish I could show you some pictures, but alas, if you wondered where my daughter gets this losing things habit.... I can't find my camera! Sigh, hopefully it will show up soon. In many ways, my house is cleaner than normal so, who knows where it could be hiding.

Have a great day!

This WEEK has been largely focused on finishing getting our school room in order. Does this tell you anything about the room? It's been everything BUT the school room. I have decided that for at least the first few weeks we are going to do the majority of our work in the room. It seems cruel and perhaps even uncomfortable. So, why, you ask? Well, do you know how much time each one of my girls and myself spent looking for books each week. They aren't in the habit of putting them back and I'm not in the habit of making sure that they do. I thought I'd let them each pick one subject that they can do anywhere. And, well, we will probably do reading on the coach right NEXT to the school room. At least until we all develop the habit of taking care of our books. There are still at least two books I know we have that I don't know where they are as we are readying for school to begin.