Happy New Year's everyone! I hope your holidays were infused with memories. There is always a sigh of relief that comes after Christmas Day as you realize that the hustle and bustle is over for another year.
Now it is time to think about the beginning of a new year. I always feel that New Year's is similar to the first day of the school year. There is a sense of anticipation of the plans you have for the New Year as well as their being a sense of newness. You can let go of any negativity that happened during the last few months and start all over again in January. You can start with a fresh slate.
The New Year is a time to take stock of all that has happened in the first part of the school year. Are you happy with the results? If you are not happy with how the last few months have played out then take time to think long and hard as to why, exactly, things are not working.
Is the problem with your curriculum? Is it too workbook-y for your child? Is it too teacher-intensive for you? Does it meet your child's learning style, as well as your teaching style?
Is the problem with your schedule? Is it too rigid, too time-intensive? Or is it too relaxed to the point that you aren't getting anything done? Maybe a rhythm-type schedule would work better for you. Many homeschoolers start their learning time first thing in the morning. Maybe that doesn't work for you. Maybe starting later in the day, even in the afternoon would work better for your family. After starting school in the morning for 5 years, our family has started our learning time after lunch and that has worked so much better for us
The problem might just be with your philosophy. It just might be that the way you are educating your child resonates with you but not so much with your children. I found myself in that situation. A Classical Education resonates so strongly with me. I know that if I could be educated over again, I would love to be educated in this manner but it doesn't work for all of my children. So I have spent this last year trying to think if it is possible to achieve a happy medium. So far, it isn't working very well, but I am not giving up.
I want to encourage you if you are having difficulties in your learning time, to take the next few days and think deeply as to what exactly is the problem. Then slowly try to come up with some solutions. These ideas might not work, so be ready to go back to the drawing board and fool around with more ideas. It is very much a trial and error process but once you hit pay dirt, it is so rewarding for both yourself and your children.
Julia lives on the Canadian Prairies with her husband, homeschooling their 3 children (10,8,6) and is attempting to give them a Classical Education. You can read more at her blog.
Since I started a category on interesting tidbits from my life, I frequently brain-storm to see if I left out any. Well.....I did! 
My Uncle Chet used to play college basketball with actor Chuck Connors. (If you remember him, you are showing your age!) 
Several years ago, dd was doing a scrapbook with postcards from every state. One postcard she got was from Governor Mike Huckabee.
Famous people I've seen in person:
- Lisa Whelchel came to speak at our local high school several years ago.
- Ronnie Milsap
- Loverboy
- Ricky Skaggs
- Carl Perkins (from Blue Suede Shoes fame)
- Fats Domino
I've seen several others, but all I can picture is their face! I can't remember the names! 
Our 
has been missing since late on Christmas Eve. This isn't like him, so it has us very concerned. My heart aches for dd, who will take it the hardest if he doesn't return home. I can't even begin to tell you how many times the three of us have gone to the back door to look out and see if he has returned home. 
UPDATE: After nearly 48 hours of being gone, finally came home. 
Since it had started snowing, I sent Rachel out to see if she could find tracks from where he walked. 
Smart cat -- he walked right up next to the house so there were no tracks to follow! 
Well, I didn't make it to work today, due to injuring my back yesterday when I slipped on the ice on the sidewalk at the hospital. I hated it that I couldn't go in this evening. I was really looking forward to it. Not only that, but now a coworker had to interrupt her Christmas plans to cover my shift.
After taking a long 
, due to the side-effects from the muscle relaxer, I pinched the nerve again when I tried to get up from the couch. For a while, I couldn't move without screaming in pain. 
It was awful.
Now I'm on vacation for three days, and will likely spend most of it flat on my back. 
A side note -- I did manage to go to my parents' house for a short while last night. About the time my back started hurting badly, we headed out to come home so I could get the ice on it again.
As you celebrate Christmas this year, please remember all the parents who are still fighting for their right to homeschool, and for parents who have had their children taken from them by force without just cause because they homeschooled their children--like the Johansson family of Sweden. This Christmas we can rest easy knowing that the gifts that we bought for our children will help further their education or offer a new way for your family to have fun together. The Johanssons have been denied Christmas with their only child, and so much more.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB
I've done this each year for a few years now. These are the final days of my Video Countdown to Christmas that started on December 15th. Each day I'm uploading an inspirational or comedic video that shares the spirit of Christmas with my readers. Check it out on Communication FUNdamentals!
And Merry CHRISTmas everyone!
Side note: I missed out on Thanksgiving with my side of the family, and now it looks like I will miss out on Christmas with my side of the family.
I am thankful that I have a job, and that it's a job I enjoy, but it still makes it very to know that I am missing out on being with my family on the two biggest holidays of the year. With my dad's health issues, I wonder if he will even be here next year. 
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! I want to share a couple of video clips which I located on YouTube...they are from a Public Television show that I have seen many Decembers over, titled, "Rick Steve's Christmas in Europe." These two clips share my favorite parts of the show. I love the peacefulness, the simplicity, and the picture of the family generations coming together. I hope you enjoy it, too!
Rick Steve's Christmas in Europe ~ Part 9
Rick Steve's Christmas in Europe ~ Part 10
May God bless you and your families as you focus on the beauty of God's plan for His children, and all that "Emmanuel" means to you.
~Lori
- There were the times I just "happened" to get a deaf patient, and was able to "speak" to her in her own language.
- Another time I "happened" to get a rather grouchy patient, but discovered that she was extremely scared about the procedure being done on her. I was able to show her kindness and love in spite of her rudeness to me.
- There have been numerous occasions when I've had a patient who was likely in the middle of a miscarriage. Since I've had a miscarriage, I was able to give them words of hope, even if they did end up having a miscarriage.
I have figured out another food to which I am allergic. It is wheat -- though it is probably more the gluten that is causing issues. Since I had the weekend off, I decided to "test" my suspicions, and I ate the same cereal two days in a row (generic grape nuts). Yep -- there is definitely something in it that causes problems for me. I really feel bad today. I've had a hard time breathing the entire day, w/my chest hurting most of the day.
I have done some research online this afternoon, trying to find some cookbooks that might come in handy. Before I purchase any, I will borrow some from the library to see if they will be worth the $ to buy them.