I'm a stay-at-home helpmeet to my best friend on earth and mom of three wonderful children. I will be sharing about our adventures, along with some miscellaneous ramblings as well. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Tue, 8 Jul 2008 22:37:00 -0500 Tue, 8 Jul 2008 22:37:00 -0500 Its that time of the year again.  The political time, that is.  If I hadn't lived so long, I would think that politicians are some kind of wonder.  Here's a sampling of the promises I've heard some make. My family will have more money, children will be better educated, everyone will have a job, a nice place to live and the price of gas will go down.  Crime rates will go down.  Everyone will have health care.  Everyone will love us and we'll all get along like one big happy family.  And the whopper; they will solve the problem in the Middle East and finally there will be peace.  In all my years of living, I have to say that my life has not dramatically changed for the better due to whatever politician was in office from local to federal.  Why can't someone just be honest and tell us the truth versus what they think we want to hear.  I don't believe that the government can solve all the problems of society.  On the contrary, it seems that whenever government gets involved, things go downhill.  They are not designed to be a husband, wife, mother or father and yet they attempt to fulfill these roles.  Government can make laws but cannot change the heart.  Government changed the laws regardig slavery, but this did nothing to help the relationship between the races.  Why?  Because the problem was not one that government could fix.  This was a SIN issue. It would be refreshing to hear a politician say something like this:  I cannot solve the problems in the Middle East, nor make those who wish to destroy us suddenly become our friends. There will be no real peace until the Prince of Peace comes.   I will not take money from the wealthy to distribute to the poor.  God gave a mandate to the church to care for those less fortunate, not the government.  I cannot force people to work, but will try my best to make sure there are opportunities to work for those who wish to.  I cannot ensure that everyone will have a high paying job either, so please make sure you get the training you need to get a job paying a salary you'd like.  If not, please learn to be content and live within your means.  It is the responsibility of parents to teach and train their children, so I will not be focusing on these issues either.  I cannot ensure the safety of your children at schools which long ago decided that Godly principles are not welcome there.   There are responsibilities for families and for the body of Christ.  Also there are things only God Himself can change.  Will you still vote for me? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/558568/ Tue, 8 Jul 2008 22:37:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/558568/ When I was young, I always thought that when I became older I would be really REALLY smart.   It seemed that the old folks knew it ALL.   I can safely say that I know a lot more than I knew when I was young.  But oddly enough, the older I get, the more things I find that I don't know.  When I was young, I didn't know what I didn't know.  And now I know a LOT of things I don't know about Take for instance the issue of going to a church building.  If someone had asked me when I was young, why I go to church, the simple answer would have been because my mother told me too.  When I got a bit older, I would have said something about the Bible telling us not to forsake assemblies ourselves together.  Then a friend posed a question:  Do we HAVE to attend a church building weekly in order to assemble with other believers  I have to say that up to that point, I had NEVER heard of such a thing as NOT going to 'church'.    I have realized that a lot of what I believe were (for me) traditions passed on from generation to generation in our culture.  I had no idea if these things were biblical or not, and it never occured to me that I needed to question what I was taught.   I looked to those older, presumably wiser and those with more education to teach me and what they said, of course, SEEMED to be biblical.  So now in my mature age, I see there are many things yet for me to learn.  Looking back on the elders I grew up with, they seemed so wise and sure of themselves.  I know I am wisER, yet I don't feel I have arrived at that place of feeling that suredness. In the meantime, I'll do the best I know with the knowledge and understanding that I have.  When I learn better, I'll do better.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/499289/ Sun, 16 Mar 2008 11:09:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/499289/ A Professional Built the Titanic An Amateur Built the Ark (line from a movie we watched over the weekend - can't remember the name) Funny Eh http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/487120/ Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:16:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/487120/ There's a nasty bug going around and everyone at my house has been affected except dear Hubby.  The children bounced back after a week or so, but I'm still working it out.  In taking care of the little ones, I neglected to take care of myself.  So I'm pretty sure that's why I caught it.  Please take care of yourselves dear friends.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/486938/ Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:20:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/486938/ I have taken on a new challenge of knitting socks.  I have to say this is one of the most frustrating things I've ever attempted to do.  Though not as frustrating as sewing garments.  I've ripped apart this sock three times.   At this point I will finish it in all it imperfections - nope, not starting over - no way.  I made a pair for Baby Boy (because he has the smallest foot), but he doesn't like the feel of them.  I think its the wool that bothers him.  So Daughter is wearing them and loving them.  Hubby requested a pair and this is what I'm working on.    I had planned on finishing them last weekend, but migraines changed my time tables.  So hopefully I'll be able to finished them early next week.  And hopefully they will be nice.  I found this  sock tutorial which is the pattern I'm using.  Actually its very close to the same color too.  When I figure out how to get pictures here, I'll show you the finished product. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/476120/ Wed, 6 Feb 2008 22:21:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/476120/ Things have finally calmed down a bit and we're back to 'normal'.  We've resumed schooling and are finding our groove.  Our operating hours are a bit different from most.  But they suit our family.  After all these years, I think I'm finally getting the hang of homeschooling.  This only occurred after I STOPPED reading about what everyone else (even the 'experts') was doing.  And I started praying in earnest for what God would have me do...and studying my family and what works for us. We were using Math U See as our spine for math, but I kept having to tweak it (rebel that I am)   For instance, it just makes more sense to me to spend time focusing on learning ALL addition facts than learning a few here and there sprinkled with other things in between.  I'm sure that's because of my personality type.  If I have to do something, I go for the gusto!  Do it with all my might and get it over with, ta da!!!  So while we were taking a break to learn subtraction facts, I found some e-books at Math Mammoth which seem to be a good fit (for now).  Some of the books are for grade levels and some are according to topics.  I had used one of them before to help oldest son over the hurdle with fractions.  It was great in that it covered almost everything to do with fractions.  The younger two are using a MM book and both told me that like it better than MUS.  More importantly, I like them and they're learning and loving it. We're using Rod and Staff readers for all the children.  Daughter will finish her set sometime this month.  I believe she's ready for a formal language arts program now that we have that learning-to-read time over.  I have the older version of LLATL which looks pretty good to me, BUT we'll see how it works out.   Baby Boy is still in the learning-to-read time and I will tell you a secret.  Promise not to let this get out, but we are NOT doing phonics any more.  We'll actually I throw in a bit in the natural course of a reading lesson, but no more formal phonics and workbooks.  In his reader is a list of new words (words to phonetically sound out and sight words).  We go over the new words, I read the story to him, he reads with me and then he reads alone with me helping him with any words he struggles with.  When he's comfortable, we move on to the next story.  He's still struggling with handwriting, so I have him copy his new words and a few sentences (from the current story) each day.  Voila ... handwriting and reading lessons done! We're nearing the end of Farmer Boy which was a fun read.  I was planning on reading the entire series, but still on the fence about it.  These are wonderful books, but very wordy for my children with short attention spans.  They seem to love the stories but would enjoy them more in a condensed form - what to do - what to do. I'm not a science mom, but the children have requested it.  So after looking about a bit, I'll order Exploring Creation with Astronomy for the younger two and Exploring Creation with Biology for my soon-to-be high schooler. Its so hard to believe it, but I will have a high school student next year.    We only have four more years before society thinks of him as an adult.  There are so many things we want to teach him and academics, though important to us, are not at the top of the list.  There are more important lessons that this young one needs to learn  and I really feel an urgency at reaching him soon.  But on the other hand, there are things that the government requires us to cover, so we'll have to get that in as well.  Wouldn't it be nice to not have to worry about such things. My one dilema (as far as school goes) is in finding an American history book that I like.  This made sound awful, but... I don't like the secular books which rewrite history.  AND I haven't found a Christian book that I care for either.  They all seem to paint America's history as glorious when in fact there is some of our history that is quite shameful (for instance, slavery).  I have trouble wrapping my mind around a slave owner being labeled a hero and great Christian.    One book I read said that our treatment of the Indians wasn't so bad because after all they were always at war with each other any way, and we didn't treat them nearly as bad as they treated each other.  Regarding slavery, they acknowledged that slavery did exist here, BUT that slavery has existed for a long time, even since bible time.   This book seem to try to justify bad behavior by pointing out other bad or worse behavior.  What I am looking for may not exist yet.  A book(s) that tells the facts, the good, the bad and the ugly and lets the reader draw their own conclusions.  If you know of such a thing, please let me know. I am horrible at keeping records, but will have to find something that works for me soon (especially for high school records).  If I have all the books the children have worked through, then why do I need records?  If children who have never been to school are reading and writing and doing math, isn't it obvious that we've been doing school.  Ack, its the rebel in me, I suppose.  And the fact that I'd rather be DOing rather that writing about what I plan to do or have done.   Oh well, I must conform now (at least for my high schooler).   And before you think I just fly by the seat of my pants, nope.   I make a list for each child of what I'd like us to accomplish for the year.  Then I look for materials to help us and dive in.   How do you keep records?  Any suggestions? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/476110/ Wed, 6 Feb 2008 20:34:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/476110/ We got a call early this morning that Pastor Ralph passed away last night   Its been an odd sort of day with lots of thoughts swirling through my head.  Things like this have a way of changing my perspective.  Yesterday I was researching what we'll be using for Big Boy's high school courses, writing my to-do list for homeschooling the children for the remainder of the school year, making a mental list of goals I'd like to achieve this year and searching for the grade forms so I can fax them to our umbrella school.  I have checked off most of the things on my list and these were some of my last items.  After the phone call, they don't seem as important as they did a few days ago. The children had been praying for Pastor Ralph to be healed.  SimplyMe has children with simple faith.  After hearing the stories from the Bible all these years, the children thought that if they prayed, God would heal Pastor Ralph.  Almost every night they would report that they were still praying for his healing.  They had actually made plans about what they would do when they saw him at church after being healed.  Baby Boy and Baby Girl both said they were going to run up to him and give him a BIG hug and tell him that they love him.  Baby Girl said she would be so happy that she would probably cry.  And today I had to tell them that he had gone on to be with the Lord.  Baby Girl was actually surprised and (I think) a little angry and asked me what happened (as in this is not the way it was supposed to happen - I prayed and God was suppose to heal him).  When Baby Boy found out, he came to me and said "I guess I'll see Pastor Ralph in Heaven with Jesus."  And Big Boy went to cry alone.  I know that God is sovereign, but I have to admit I too, thought of all the passages I have read about faith and prayer and healing.  We believed God for a healing miracle, but this was not to be.  This thought crossed my mind... "why bother, God will do whatever He wants anyway."  But I suppose this is where the lessons that I teach the children come back for me to learn.  I 'bother' out of obedience.  I pray, trust and believe because He told me to.  The rest is up to Him.  I will not understand His decisions, but understanding is not a prerequisite for obedience.  Our friend has stepped out of his earthly garment which was diseased and filled with pain.  He is in a much better place than those of us left behind.  He rejoices and we mourn.  His struggles are over, but ours remain.  He told my hubby once, that if the devil thought that this disease would make him doubt God, then he had another thing coming - that he would praise Him no matter what.  We will do the same.  Though we did not get the answer we wanted, yet we praise him.  Through tears, heavy hearts and confusion we WILL praise Him.  PASLM 42:11  Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again--my Savior and my God!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/455664/ Fri, 4 Jan 2008 19:36:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/455664/ My hubby works at a church where there are lots of elderly people.   Somehow we both have come to develop a love for these special folks.  Many of them have been so kind to my family.  There's one lady that has been sending sour dough bread home to us for years, along with her special jams, preserves and honey.  Another sends whatever clothes she thinks the children might be able to wear.  There's also the gentleman who is a very talented carpenter.  I often joke with my husband that he needs to spend more time with this man so he can learn from him.  Seriously, show this man a picture and he can make it.  Their talents are so varied, wonderful cooks, seamstresses, carpenters, plumbers, carpet layers, electricians, sound engineers, etc.  It is my hope that my children can apprentence with some of them one day.  Come to think of it, I would love to apprentence with them now if I had the time!    I still don't understand why more of the young people at the church don't hang out with these seasoned, talented people.  The people my age are usually working at jobs and the children just aren't interested.  What a shame and what a loss You should see the way their faces light up whenever someone shows an interest in them.  I think they need to be needed, and they want so much to pass on what they have learned.  One Sunday I asked one lady how to make giblet gravy and for the next half hour, she and her friend instructed me on how to make the perfect gravy.  She told me she thought of me on Thanksgiving Day and wished I had come over so she could make gravy with me.  How sweet   One day my husband had to move a lot of chairs for them and the elderly carpenter saw him.  He later made some type of contraption that made moving the furniture easier and faster.  They seem to look for ways to be helpful and to put their skills to use.  The elderly men are the ones who came to the church and worked to clear out the flood waters.  Some of the older women sew sleeping bags and other items for the children's home her.  So this year, I wanted to do something for them.  Just a little something that says that I am thinking of you and appreciate you.  Since I interact more with the ladies, I decided to give them crochet and knitted dish cloths for Christmas.  (this is part of why I haven't been online much lately)  While my family and friends don't appreciate homemade items, I think that these sweet ladies will.  Anyway I hope they will.  Our pastor and friend is at home but is not doing well at all.  The deacons had asked that people not go and see him because he doesn't feel like receiving visitors.  And now we hear that they don't expect him to last much longer.   Hubby is hoping to see him on Friday, but the children and I will stay at home.  He has often told my hubby that he really enjoys our children and loves our family.  And the children are crazy about Pastor Ralph, so they are disappointed about not seeing him but they understand why.  It makes me happy to hear them praying for him each night and to see the letters my daughter has written to him and to God about this situation.  The odd thing about this is that a little over a year ago, Pastor Ralph told his staff to be prepared for the enemy to attack them.  He had just come in as the pastor and was going to follow the leading of God (and not the deacons) in whatever God wanted to do in and for the church.  Not long afterwards, he became sick.  Coincidence, ya think??  Every staff member has had crazy trials since then, but none to the extent of the pastor.  Yet still he praises God and his faith remains strong.  If you feel so led, please pray for our friend. In other news, right before Thanksgiving, oldest son decided to run away from home rather than face punishment for disobedience.  This silly child ran to hubby's work, spotted his father leaving and then tried to run back home before hubby got here.  That didn't work, so he went to our neighbor across the street who called the police thinking someone was trying to break in.  When he saw the police, he ran again.  The police were constantly on the phone with us giving updates on his whereabouts and told us to keep looking out the windows because he was spotted around our house.  The officer decided to drive by one more time and found him asleep in the front yard.  He handcuffed him and brought him inside and gave him a nice long talk.  Silly boy didn't think this through at all.  It was really cold and all he had on was a sweater and light jacket.  He took his backpack with three oranges and his Bible.  This is my child that I am still in labor with.  Please pray that I will deliver this child soon Daughter is doing fine.  I am hoping to get her interested in more girlie things, but haven't found anything yet that she enjoys.  I'm starting to think that I should just insist that she do some of them anyway.  I never thought one would have to force a child to play, craft of have a hobby.  Would I be a mean momma if I gave her a crafty kit and made her work on it.  Or made them play games together?  Builder Boy doesn't have enough hours in a day for all the things he's interested in.  But my other two haven't found their interests yet.  I wonder if daughter spent time with some of these things, would she grow to enjoy them.  What does one do with children that seemingly have no interest other than foolishness??  In brighter news, there must be something about turning 10 years old.  We have seen such a dramatic change in our little Builder Boy over the past few months.  He has noticed that we are trusting him with more responsibilities and is happy about it.  He used to be our quietest child, but now talks a LOT.  I am thrilled that he enjoys spending time with me and sharing his heart with me.  He has always be open to me, but struggled getting his words out.  Not any more!   And for those of you with late bloomers, take heart.  What the experienced homeschoolers said was right . . . some children are just late bloomers.  I had just about given up on phonics, but a few months ago, he asked for his phonics workbook and we've been working steadily through it AND he's getting it!  I have been spending more time with all the children, trying to minister to the individual needs of each one.   I am seeing glimmers of hope that are encouraging.  So I'm limiting myself online until I can get a handle on things here.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/447832/ Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:10:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/447832/ Just wanted to post a quick update.  At the beginning of Thanksgiving, we had one child with a cold.  By Saturday, we had all three children with colds and hubby and I at the beginning stages of catching the nasty bug.  I'm sure it will be over soon as we're a bit wiser now on how to clear a cold out of the house.  Years ago, we'd pass it around to each other time and again before finally being rid of it. In other news, we have found out that our pastor and friend has pancreatic cancer.  On Sunday we were told that the doctors also found a spot on his liver.  He didn't make it to church because he was so weak.  Last Sunday he told us that he is prepared no matter what.  All of his affairs are in order, and more than anything his desire is that God be glorified.  He has such a heart for people that even now he talks of the unsaved who sit in the pews and his desire to see them come to Christ.  He has been at this church around two years, but has made such an impact on the people there.  Many were in tears after hearing the update on Sunday.  At this point, he is having trouble eating and sleeping and is very weak.  This concerns us even more because he lives alone and has no family near.  Of course our church family is doing all we can, but its not the same as someone being there for him around the clock.  If you feel led, please add Pastor Ralph to your prayer list.  Of course we would like to see him healed on this side of Heaven, but ...   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/433971/ Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:09:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/433971/ Momma was not a collector of things, but she was a collector of people.    That is how my family came to be.  When her mom remarried, she collected a step father.  When his family came to visit, they deposited his grandson, and mom had a step nephew who was more like a son to her.  When her husband's family came to visit, she saw a little girl in need and collected her.  She then had a daughter.  When this daughter had a child and abandoned her (me) mom had another daughter.  When the neighbors didn't know what to do to save their granddaughter and were watching her die, Momma took the child, carried her to one doctor after another and nursed her back to health.  She then had another daughter.  This child's family used to drop off her brother for Momma to babysit on the weekends while they partied.  One weekend they never came back.  Momma now had another son.  When Momma's 'children' had children, she became a grandma.  (sadly she passed before my children came along). If you ever hear me speak of brothers, sisters or cousins, these are the people I'm speaking of.  My family is like a patchwork quilt, a little from here, a little from there.  Momma was the thread that held us all together.  I remember once Momma let me have a party and some friends came by to take down my bedroom furniture, so we would have room to dance.  After the party, a few of the boys stayed behind to put my room back in order and Momma worried about them walking home so late.  She invited them to stay and told me to let out the couch for them to have a comfy place to sleep.  The next morning, she cooked breakfast for everyone and asked the boys how many waffles they wanted.  The look on their faces was priceless when they saw the stack of waffles at each place.  See in Momma's mind, the whole waffle iron contained one waffle.  To them, each square was one waffle.  So each boy had four times the amount of waffles they wanted, some 12 and some 16.  Plus eggs, bacon and grits.  I felt sorry for my friends, wondering how in the world were they going to eat it all.  But somehow, they managed.  They each gave her a hug and kiss and thanked her for such a great time.  And Momma was a happy one that day, having all these hungry boys to feed and rave over her food.  Momma loved to cook and always cooked a lot more than needed to feed our family.  Whenever anyone visited, she would ask if they were hungry.  If they were, she'd tell them all the same thing:  "I cooked it, but I'm not fixin' your plate.  Go on in the back and get whatever you want."  And countless people did just that in my Momma's kitchen.  When my best girlfriend went on a diet, she decided that she couldn't eat much of Momma's food.  But not wanting to offend Momma, she fixed herself a little saucer of food with a spoonful from each dish.  Momma walked in and said,  "That's not enough food to feed a bird.  Girl you ain't EVER gonna be skinny.  You got big bones.  You're meant to carry more weight.  You gonna make yourself sick.  Now go on and fix yourself a real plate of food."  Now this would offend most folks, but Gloria was like family and understood Momma and her bluntness.  She simply said, "yes ma'am" and got a bit more. Momma never formally invited anyone over.  Everyone just knew they were welcomed anytime at Momma's house.  Throughout the day and evening there was a constant flow of visitors.  Some visited on the porch, others in the living room and others who'd sit in the kitchen and watch her cook.  She was never too busy for company.  And everyone felt at home there. Momma wasn't rich, just a bit better off that a lot of our neighbors.  But you couldn't beat my Momma in the giving department.  There was a constant out flow from her house.  Boxes of pecans and other goodies shipped to friends around the neighborhood and the country.  She'd fuss at children climbing her fence to steal fruit and then tell them to just ask.  Then she'd allow them to come in and pick as much as they wanted.  I actually saw that you can't outgive God.  For as much as Momma gave, we never had lack of anything we needed. Its amazing the memories I have of life with Momma.  She didn't play with me, I lived life with her.  I have many memories of watching her cook, do laundry and hang it out, clean and more.  I have memories of doing all of these things with her, except cooking.  She wasn't having any of that.  But I did spend a lot of time with her.  Learning her ways, how to do things, how to get along with some hornery folks, just how to BE. Momma was blunt and had a way with words   She'd speak the truth whether you wanted to hear it or not.  But she was never mean.  She taught us to be careful in how you treat people who come to visit, for we'd never know if we were entertaining angels.  She taught us to treat others as we wanted to be treated and leave vengence to the Lord.  She taught us to be givers and let the Lord deal with those who misused the giving.  She taught us to be careful who we hung out with.  Momma used to tell me that she had been a drinker in her younger years.  She said that one day she decided that she wasn't going to do that anymore and she didn't touch a drink ever again.  Even though she yearly made elderberry wine from her very own berry bush on the side of the house.  She even put alcohol in some of it for her few friends that still drank and expected her to send them their annual bottle.  She taught us that whatever we made up our minds to do, we could with the help of God.  And she taught us to do the best that we could at whatever we had to do.  That life was not about our likes, dislikes or feelings, but about doing what we should do according to the Word of God.  She taught us fear God. Momma was busy a lot.  She grew apple, peach, black walnut and pecan trees in the back yard.  She had elderberries and figs and chickens growing too.  She sometimes have a vegetable garden, always had flower beds and plants.  And one year, a grape vine.  Her summers were spend canning and freezing in addition to regular household duties.  When she was younger, she also sewed clothes for us girls to wear to school.  She mended and tended to us all. If anyone was sick in our neighborhood, Momma always sent us out with a plate of food for them.  One summer one of our neighbors had no running water.  Momma sent water to them and allow them to freeze pots of water to have cool water to drink.  When they had no tv, we always invite them over for a Saturday movie night, complete with popcorn.  Such was Momma. I'm not sure why Momma stopped going to church when I was young.  I remember her sending money for a long time, even when she stopped going.  She always made sure we went though.  But I can say that I have never met anyone who lived more of a Christian lifestyle than she did.  People tell me that I'm a lot like her and I like hearing that, though I know that I'm still a work in progress and a long way from living as she did.  I enjoy running into someone even today and they tell me of the fond memories of Momma. I have beautiful crocheted, tatted, embroidered items she did when she was young.  I have some of her cookware as well.  The quilts she made are tattered from use though, but I have one I keep in storage.  Some of the dishes I cook today are a reminder of her.  I have the bookcase that I hated dusting as a kid, sitting in my hallway full of books.   Momma wasn't rich and didn't leave a lot of things behind, but she impacted each life she touched and left me with much wisdom.  She showed me rather than teach me how to live a life pleasing to God.  She was truly a Proverbs 31 woman in every way.   I am truly blessed to have had her in my life. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/432058/ Thu, 22 Nov 2007 10:12:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SimplyMe/432058/