Today, my hubby left to start a new job with a new company.  He will still be driving a semi, but the difference is the amount of home time for him...for us.  Kent has been in trucking for about 3 years now, after having to change careers.  Not an uncommon thing in these times, many men are having to leave the careers they nurtured for jobs that are more plentiful and , sometimes, not so great.  After three years, Kent has gotten pretty good at what he does and we just have learned to accept the lifestyle.  The job my hubby just lost was one of those trucking jobs that are the envy of the industry.  He had sick time, vacation time, a steady and predictable route and lots of home time.  It was really nice!  But, that season has passed.  The company let many drivers go, thanks to our troublesome economy.  This new job will keep him closer to home than many of the other options he found, but he may not be able to spend much time here.  That is the worst part of the trucking industry. 

    But...we are grateful!  We are thankful for this job, because there are many that do not have one.  It will be uncomfortable, but we will get through it.  My prayer is that this is a stepping stone for the next good thing down the road...good things are in store.

    Now that Kent is back to work, Bryan and I will get back into our routine and focus on finishing up for the semester.  It always feels good to get to that halfway mark...but more importantly, it feels good to get to Christmas, my favorite.  Next week, Bryan and I will hit the road ourselves to journey to Mom and Grama's house.  Christmas will be in Washington this year.  It is exciting...and sad too. We have become quite used to sharing this wonderful holiday with our very dear friends, The Disbrows.  The word "friends" doesn't fit anymore for them.  They are family...our sanity during trials and celebrations...our breath of fresh air always.  At the same time, being home with family, those that can be there this year (Sammy and Gary can't make it) Mom, Grama, Ty and Cynthia, and hopefully my brother, Rich...my heart feels full!!!!

    Take care and have a wonderful Christmas Time.  Enjoy all that you have and all that God does for you, daily, hourly....

Peace to you!

Bryan is working on his Persuasive Writing assignment for the Charter School.  He has been so frustrated and has not enjoyed it one lick!  I keep telling him to just write, do the best you can and get over it.  Life hands us all sorts of things that we do not like, not one bit, and yet, we press on.

Charter School...did I get an earful this past weekend. We spent the holiday with friends and I got it loud and clear that I am taking part in the ruining of homeschooling in CA...I suppose that would mean in the whole country, as well.  We chose to go with the Charter School because of our lack of finances, not because we think that it is the best way to go.  I absolutely hate how politics gets ahold of everything!!  I have homeschooled Bryan since day one and I do not NEED anyone else to succeed, but help is appreciated.  We have had a good experience so far with our school but I may change my mind for next year. Time will tell. 

I wish I had all the answers to life, but I don't.  My goal is to teach my son character first, helping him to develop into a Godly man.  Bookwork comes after that and we have always tried to give Bryan the tools to do well.  He has high goals for his career choices and we will do what we can to help him achieve thoses goals.  Along the way, we have successes and failures, times where we wish we would have made better choices, but, overall, I'd say we have done pretty well. 

He is nearly finished with his assignment and I can see the look of relief on his face....isn't it good to finally finish what we start!!

 Here are some Turkey Tips from Food network.  There are those of us that have the same conversation every time it's time to cook a turkey...how long do I defrost it or cook it??? 

Whether you're tackling a Thanksgiving turkey for the first or hundredth time, our top 10 tips will ensure your big bird is the best it can be.

1. Thawing a frozen turkey requires patience. The safest method is to thaw turkey in the refrigerator. Be sure to plan ahead — it takes approximately 3 days for a 20 pound turkey to fully defrost.

2. For crisper skin, unwrap the turkey the day before roasting and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Cooking times will differ depending on whether your bird was purchased fresh or frozen. Plan on 20 minutes per pound in a 350 degree F oven for a defrosted turkey and 10 to 15 minutes per pound for fresh.

4. A turkey will cook more evenly if it is not densely stuffed. Consider adding flavor by loosely filling the cavity with aromatic vegetables — carrots, celery, onion or garlic work nicely — or by carefully tucking fresh herbs underneath the breast skin. For the stuffing lovers, cook the dressing in a casserole dish on the side.

5. For even roasting, truss your turkey.

6. Before roasting, coat the outside of the turkey with vegetable or olive oil, season with salt and pepper and tightly cover the breast with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning (it will be removed in step 7).

7. Don't be a peeping tom (no pun intended)! Once you get the turkey in the oven, resist the temptation to open the oven door and admire your handiwork. When the oven temperature fluctuates, you're only increasing the likelihood of a dry bird. About 45 minutes before you think the turkey is done, remove the foil from the breast to allow it to brown.

8. Remove the turkey from the oven when the deepest spot between the leg and the breast reads 180 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Check the internal temperature of the stuffing as well; it should be at least 165 degrees.

9. Tent the bird with foil and let rest for about 15 minutes before carving. If you need more time to make gravy, heat up side dishes, etc., you can let the turkey set for up to an hour without losing too much heat.

10. Remember to carve your turkey with a very sharp or electic knife.

Maybe you just want to cook the turkey breast...here is The Barefoot Contessa's recipe for Herb Roasted Turkey Breast....yum!

Ingredients

• 1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup dry white wine

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

   I find it amazing, that blog entries get pulled because the powers that be "think" it is offensive.  What happened to free speech?  The posting I am refering is a jab at the government, but nothing hateful.  There is no malice in the post.  There are no threats in the post.  It is merely an opinion.  Have we really gotten to the point where we have to have sensitivity police?  If the post I am refering to was an harsh attack on our government, then I might understand.  If the person posting was filled with hate, then, yes, perhaps they should take their hate elsewhere.  But to just block a post because the picture refers to the stupidity of the government????  Wow!   In our history, didn't the government give less than what was promised to Indians, or, Native Americans for those needing PC lingo?  Doesn't our government have a history of promising much and giving little?  Facts are facts and sometimes it helps to deal with those facts by poking a little fun or making a joke. 

It is the liberal, touchy-feely, everyone has to get along and be equal kind of attitude that put the current admministration in place.  Everybody play nice and don't say anything...that way you won't offend. 

    Hello, socialism......here we come full steam ahead!

I find myself weary of people that want to dictate everything others do and say.  I miss the America of old.

    I read this on a homeschooling site today and thought it was cute.  I have been known to have a chat with myself now and again. 

    "I overheard my 7 year old daughter talking to the neighbor girl. The neighbor girl was telling my daughter that she didn't have to go to school that day because of parent-teacher conferences. My daughter asked her what that meant and the neighbor girl explained it was when her Mom talked to her teacher. "Oh, we have that in home schooling too," replied my daughter. I was a bit puzzled until my daughter added, "My Mom talks to herself all the time." (Kelli from CA), http://www.homeschoolstories.com/humor/"

    I am thankful for the right and privilege to school at home.  God blesses our decision daily!

    October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Have you battled the disease or know of someone who has been through it?  Our family is quite aware...my mom has had it three times now.  She is a survivor.  Her strength is like none others I know.  Her positive attitude, humor and courage have seen her through each time.  My mom is my hero!

    About 10 years ago, my mom had a mastectomy.  She had cancer for the second time on that side and decided to remove the breast.  With humor, lots of jokes and laughter, mom got through it.  We all got through it.  Hearing that your mom has cancer is like a knife cutting to the very center of your soul...at least, that is what it was like for me.  Time passed.  Always wondering if it would come back, Mom would stay on top of her care and visits every 6 months to be sure...checking for new cancers.  She had some biopsies and was told by her doctor that she might want to remove the other breast to be safe...as a preventative measure.  Mom tucked that idea away, but never felt ready to do that...until this year, in August.  There was something that told her, "Do it...get it over with....the waiting and wondering..."  So she scheduled herself for the elective surgery, for another mastectomy.  She reached that point where she just wanted to get it over with.  After the surgery, I went to my mom's room.  Here I was, nervous for her and hoping she was okay, and she met me with a joke!  She was all smiles and there was relief on her face.  It was done.

    A week later, the pathology report came back...an unexpected report.  They found cancer throughout the breast tissue!  It was bad, one that would have spread quickly had they not removed it.  We were stunned!  No one suspected that...this was to prevent, but turned out to be a surgery that saved her the agony of another infection!  The doctors were certain nothing more needed to be done, the cancer had not spread outside of the breast.  I remember standing there, dumbstruck...no one moved, except Bryan, who jumped up and hugged his Nonna hard.  She knew...God whispered to her that this was the time for the surgery....and she obeyed.

    I have had one biopsy scare in my life...in my 20's.  Since then I make sure to do self checks and have had my mammograms.  With the disease in my family, it only makes sense.  I pray that anyone reading this will do the same..take care of yourselves and listen for God's leading.  With the knowledge that we have today, more and more women are surviving. 

    I am thankful that my mom is still here today.  She is the most beautiful person I know!  Her strength is an inspiration to me and to many that know her. 

    Here are some sites that you might be interested in:

http://www.nbcam.org/

http://www.bcsurvivors.org/

    Is it really October 18th?  I look outside...nearing 80 degrees with sunshine and a light breeze.  Beautiful.  The last few days have been muggy, nice, but muggy.  Probably from that whopper of a storm we had last week.  I have heard our frog again.  His croaking sound disappeared for a long time...I don't know why...but after the rains, he was back, as loud as ever.  It is a funny sound too...I think he is an old frog.  As I think about Mr. Frog under the bushes I am listening to the new birds that have moved into our yard.  They are noisy!  They bicker back and forth all day but mostly at 3:00 in the am!!!  Not so cute.

    Life marches on, time ticks by and we do our best to keep up.  Funny about life...ready or not, like it or not, it moves along and takes us by the hand with it.  We just have to go.  That makes me think of children.  There are those little darlings that grab our hands willingly, obediently and go follow us whereever we go.  They trust our knowledge and ability, completely and fully, to lead them safely through the journey.  How wonderful and it makes for a nice shopping day, know what I mean?  Then...there are those sweetie-pie's that decide they want to tug and pull and complain.  They think their way is best and they want the world to know.  They fight every turn, every command and after a short time, both Momma and the wee one are ready to collapse.  No one is happy.  No one wins and the idea of repeating that episode is not a pleasant one.  Which one are we, when God takes our hands?  Are we the trusting child, knowing that whereever we are taken it will be alright, because God is in the lead?  Or are we that obstinant and angry child, ready to pull and complain about each and every turn?  Interesting thought, isn't it?

    This life is always full of crazy turns and changes.  We have those times that are peaceful and easygoing and then those that require every ounce of our patience and faith just to make it through.  We would prefer the peaceful and easy, of course.  Who likes to endure the difficult??  I have a suggestion...for myself and for anyone that is reading this.  Relax, reach out your little hand and grasp The Father's strong hands.  Let Him lead you.  Let Him  guide your steps and protect you from the storms of life.  Trust Him to keep you safe as your steps take you to the next place in life.  Resist the desire to pull and beg to be left alone.  Resist that feeling inside that screams YOU know best and can take yourself to your destination.  That will only lead you to painful struggle that sends you walking in circles, finding no rest at the end of the journey. 

Trust and obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Today, I learned about the Simple Woman's Daybook and it looks interesting.  Here is my entry:

For Today

October 13, 2009
Outside my window...falling, soggy leaves
I am thinking...it would be nice for the storm to stop
I am thankful for...our dry home
From the learning rooms...my son getting his desk ready for a new day
From the kitchen...clean counters and a coffee pot ready for morning
I am wearing...cozy jammies
I am creating...ideas for a book I plan to write
I am going...to make a way for us to go home for Christmas
I am reading..."The Shack" at the urging of my sister
I am hoping...to buy a new pillow soon
I am hearing...the wind and the last of the rain drops pitter pattering on the roof
Around the house...it smells of our Pecan Pie candle
One of my favorite things...hot coffee in the morning, noon or night
A few plans for the rest of the week...grocery shopping, visiting my BFF, calling my grama
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...  it makes me think of paths we are on ones that we choose to take...

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

    My son has become an artist...almost overnight.  For so long I tried to convince him that he can draw and be creative and he fought it.  He never believed it!  Well, on his own, he started to draw, and has come a long way from the little stick men he used to scribble on paper.  It is fun for me to watch his creativity flourish.  Another area of art he has fallen in love with is creating videos, music, dialogue, and special effects.  He is getting pretty good at it!  I signed him up for online classes, Youth Digital Arts School, and what fun that has been!  Bryan is learning about animation, drawing and painting on the computer and will eventually make video games.  It is a great opportunity for him. 

    Isn't it funny how kids develop?  I have tried to get Bryan to draw, to at least learn the basics, for the last, well, forever.  He has never been interested.  He would humor me and scribble a few lines, but then give up.  On his own, he was ready to try and ready to learn.  A friend of ours, and artist herself, along with my mom, who is an amazing artist, encouraged Bryan to keep going and build on his desire to learn.  He has followed their advice and I have stepped out of the way.  The result is...Bryan has a sketchpad full of drawings and many hours are spent working on his new hobby.  You have to love that!!!  I sure do!

    Fall is approaching, the air feels differently and all is well here at Da Cabin.  We are busy and excited about this year of learning.  I hope that you are having fun as well. 

    I am not a fan of record keeping.   I don't know anyone who is...but it has to be done.  Years ago, I found a software program for about $40 that was easy to use and effective in keeping track of Bryan's work.   I liked it so much I recommended it to many.  It is called Homeschool Solutions and it is still available online, maybe at a higher price, I am not sure.  Last year, though, I think we outgrew the program and there haven't been updates since we bought it.  I wanted something a bit more extensive, easier to use and easier for Bryan to be a part of the logging process.  I believe I found exactly what I desired!  To make things even better, it is free! 

    The program is called Homeschool Skedtrack.  With my old program, if the activity wasn't done, because of a sick day, or whatever, it had to be re-typed and things were frustrating to fix.  With Skedtrack, activities stay in place and move to the next day if they aren't finished on the scheduled day.  So much easier!  I have added our courses, typed up the assignment (activities) and then when Bryan signs in, he checks off when items are complete....easy...all online.  I can edit and add, whatever I need to do and Bryan sees his assignments each day.  I love it!!  If you have not seen this program, I suggest looking at it.  You might like it.

    That is my exciting news for the week!

    Here we are, the summer before my little precious, I mean, my darling son starts high school.  I can remember telling people years ago when asked about homeschooling: "Of course, we will still school at home when Bryan gets to high school!  Why wouldn't we?"  And now, here we are....starting high school.  I have no clue what books we will use yet.  I have some ideas, but really, I don't know.  We might be with the charter school again, but I have not decided yet.  I enjoyed this past relationship with Sutter, but, part of me tenses when I have to follow other people's "rules".  We have done fine all these years and I believe we can continue to do so.  It is the financial help that is hard to pass by.  Whatever the decision, we will be okay. 

    I am really proud of Bryan, by the way.  I told him that he can have the summer off.  It was his decision to continue with the Russian study.  He has learned enough to know that staying on it will keep him sharper.  Makes my heart skip a beat as I watch him develop responsibility.

    I wanted to say something about character....a wise woman told me years ago to focus more on character than on the books.  Building a godly character is more valuable than all of the classics, all of the sciences, all of it....that has been our goal and I think things have gone well.  Bryan is a good guy; caring, considerate, helpful, polite and he loves God and works at pleasing Him.  I am a very blessed mom.

    Take care and find time to chat with family and friends.  Time is short and there are so many blessings to be had every day!

It has been awhile since I talked about Darth Pood, our tiny Toy Poodle.  He is a cute little rascal with a Napolean Complex and a love for cheese.  Our lives were blessed a year and a half ago when our wonderful friends, Eli and Lydia, gave him to us.  It was a gift that helped us to get over the loss of our Goldie, a Chow/Golden Retriever mix.  Since then, Darth has made us laugh and given us such joy.  He loves to play and wil play and play forever, as long as you let him!!  I usually tire out and put an end to it by hiding his toys....I know, mean Mommy!!

Poodles, you might know, need a lot of grooming and care to keep them from having health issues.  They do not shed, so their fur grows and grows and then is easily matted.  Their ears can be a mess too; you really need to keep the ears clear of the hair that works its way down the canal.  (It's a Poodle thing!) I try to stay on top of it, but this last month I neglected Darth's grooming.  He got pretty shaggy!  I love the look of the long hair, but it is better to keep it short, especially when there are so many stickers and seeds that like to hitch a ride. 

Can you see a difference??  Which do you think is better??

BEFORE....

and AFTER...

Too funny!  It always makes me laugh when I pick up the foo foo pooch at the groomer.  This new groomer did a great job too, it's the best cut Darth has ever had!!  We are still getting used to Poodie's new look, but his fur is so soft and he is so cuddly!!  Love it!  You can't see it very well, but you should know that Darth's collar is a leather spiked band, sporting the Harley Davidson logo....he is one cool...and tough Pood...all 4.8 pounds of him!

    Dreams...we all have them.  Some are realized, some fall flat.  Still, others lead to experiences we never had the courage to dream about.  That is the fun of life.  Even when times are tough, we can dream and see better times for ourselves. 

    When I was a child I always dreamed of living by the sea, a house right on the beach.  Would you believe that is still a dream of mine?  I used to dream about skydiving, taking the leap out of a plane and falling through the air.  That dream was realized 6 years ago and it was more than I imainged!  It was such a fantastic experience and having family around to cheer me on was incredible.  I have had plenty of dreams that fell flat, never came about.  But, the funny thing about that is that I can vbarely remember what they were.  Interesting.

    My grama has a list of dreams, those things she wants to do before she leaves this crazy earth.  She still has hopes that some of those dreams will be realized, even though her age and health make it less possible.  I love that about Grama...she still dreams!  I hope that when I am 93, I will dream and believe those dreams can happen!

    This entry was not a way to tell you that I have some big news or that any of my dreams are coming true.  I have just been thinking lately about where we are and where we want to be.  I have been praying that God would use me in other people's lives to do good.  Last night, at church, I was moved by an old memory.  I remembered a time when God was new in my life and I had dreams and goals and looked forward to my future.  The memory of that time struck me hard...a good memory, but one that makes me feel silly today.  I spend too much time worrying about what doesn't happen in my life, rather than what IS happening.  I want to get that freshness back.  I want to dream new dreams and have the faith that they can and just might happen!!!!

    Dreaming is so delicious...I am taking my old dreams out of the closet and dusting them off to place them here with the new dreams I am working on...take some time today to dream!  Better yet, take some time to believe in your dreams!!  God has plans for us all!!

     What curriculum should we use next year?  HIGH SCHOOL!!!!  I cannot believe I am the mother of a high schooler.  I always have a debate in my mind over what books we will use, but this time it seems different.  I guess, really it is the same.  I know we will stay with Saxon, tried and true, and this time it will be Algebra 1.  Bryan will continue with Rosetta Stone for Russian, as that has been fun and he is doing great with that approach!  I suppose we ned to add Literature and Science, which, I think will be Apologia Physical Science.  I guess I have a bit more direction than I thought.

    We shall see whether we will stay with the charter school.  We may be moving this summer.  Yeah, I know, for those of you who have followed my blog, the talk of moving has come up before and did we?....NO!  But, this time, I think it might happen.  I started working for Ranger Construction and I see a brighter future!!!!  We shall see.  But the move causes some doubt as to whether we will be with a charter.  Time will tell.

    If you are reading this, and you have some thoughts on curriculum choices for 9th grade, I would love to hear from you!  Take care!!

    I love this time of the year...nice and mild, blue skies, and color!  I love the color!  Springtime means planting my Earthboxes, watching Bryan work hard to finish his math book and the anticipation for warmer and then hotter weather!!  Love that!  I need to get my pictures ready for posting.  I took pictures this morning of the tomatoes and the peppers we planted this weekend.  Exciting!  Bryan loves peppers...especially the hot ones!  He can eat a Habanero and keep his composure.  I do not get that.  Well, hopefully, our Habaneros will grow and develop the heat they are known for.

    We have our last meeting with our ES tomorrow.  YAY!  No more logging!!!  I am feeling a bit bitter about it all.  I use a really neat program for my record keeping, Homeschool Solutions.  I have used it for years and I appreciate how easy it is to use.  Well, right before my hard drive failed, I backed everything up onto an external hard drive.  Smart, huh!!??  I thought so, but, in trying to restore the files, nothing worked.  Apparently, the files are corrupted!!  Wonderful...all of my work is lost!  A year's worth of records...gone.  So, tonight I had to work from memory to complete our learning logs for tomorrow's meeting.  Not the end of the world, but irritating!  That is something we have to make sure doesn't happen again...grrr.

    Well, it is late and I must get some sleep.  Take care and enjoy your week!!

    Wow...that was a long break from the blog.  I went through a dry spell, not much to write, I guess.  But guess what is different since I last offered my thoughts to those that might stop by??  I have a new job!  It is great fun being part of something that is about to explode and change several lives at once!!  It has been a long time since I worked at something other than our schooling.  Do not think we have let that go...schooling is still our thing and the beauty of this new job is that Bryan can hang out with me at the office or with his buddies as they crack the books together.  It is a the best of both worlds!  What is the new job you wonder?  I am the new Office Manager for Ranger Construction!!

    Michael and Shirley have had Ranger Construction for years, but this is the first time they have ventured out and opened an office outside of the home.  Michael sees growth about to happen...there are new shoots about to spring to life and opening an office is the right thing to do at this time.  I have been seeking a way to make some changes in my life, my family's life and for a way to help my dear friends in any way possible.  With a new baby on the way, a new future Ranger Construction employee about to enter the scene, changes are afoot!  God heard my prayer and the job just happened!  Shirley can focus more on nesting and less on invoicing.  It is a blessing!!

    Tomorrow is my birthday!  I am having a hard time getting used to being "mid-forties"!!!  It is a strange feeling when I stop pretending I am 30 something and realize I am getting closer to 50!!  It is all good though.  Life is good!  We have so much to be thankful for!

    Bryan is almost finished with 8th grade and that, more than being 40 something, freaks me out!   My baby is about to be a high schooler!!!  ACK!

    Take care and enjoy your days.  Smile and take in the beauty of life!!!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven---2 A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. 5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. 6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. 9 What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10 I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. 11 He has made everything appropriate in its time.

    The book of Ecclesiastes points out that we are to enjoy life, the little things, the big things; a good meal with family and friends; walks along the river; times late at night talking until you fall asleep; giggles in the next room; a good song that makes you smile; a hug; a really good, hold your belly from the pain kind of laugh; a game with family; a delicious cup of coffee or a ice cold iced tea; lessons learned through trial; good times and bad.  It is is all life that God has gifted us with and all is to be enjoyed.  At the same time, remember that there is a time and a place for all things.  Use wisdom as you carry yourself through your days.  Fear God...love Him and obey Him.  Give God the praise He deserves!  He gave all of this to you....live!!  Enjoy!!  Sing and dance as you revel in the joy of it all.....Bloom like you have never bloomed before!   

    I am wondering how many use record keeping software.  We have used "Homeschool Solutions" for years and love it!  It is easy to use and I have recommended it to many other homeschoolers.  But, I found myself curious today.  Are there other such programs out there, possibly better than what I have right now?  Is the grass any greener over there on that side of the fence??  Hmmmmm...If you have suggestions, please let me know.