http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sat, 16 May 2009 20:49:00 -0500 Sat, 16 May 2009 20:49:00 -0500 This afternoon, my daughter had her dance recital.  I never thought I would see such a gorgeous dance.  The songs they chose were precious and the girls danced all together and to the best of their abilities.  They did a dance to the song Carry You.  It was so emotional that I cry everytime I see the dance.  (They did this two other times at dance competition).   There were 2 girls that are seniors and leaving after this year.  They did a dance as a tribute to their mothers.  One of the mothers was sitting in the front row and started to cry.  The daughter came up to as part of the dance and saw this.  Well, that caused her to cry and I started crying.   It sure was a night for crying for everyone. Although I'm glad dance is over for the season, I'm still going to miss it.  That is okay.  We will be starting it back in August to get ready for competition again.  I can't wait.  It is so fun to see my daughter dance and use her abilities so well. ~Blessings Tami http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/689768/ Sat, 16 May 2009 20:49:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/689768/  I have been a busy person.  I have been making my own biscuits and they were flat and didn't taste very good.  I was using 100% whole wheat and switched to full white flour.  The biscuits came out fluffy, tall, and the family loved them.   I am so proud of these biscuits!   I definately will be making these again. I also have been working on early gifts.  I started with a hat.  This was my first time knitting a hat and I think it looks good.  I also started making fingerless gloves.  I have one done but still working on the other one and will be done in a few days. This is the glove.  I think they turned out really good! I have been getting my things ready for my surgery in three weeks.  I went to a different doctor today that did the first surgery and he wanted to see me back the day of my surgery.  I told him that would be impossible.  I definately won't feel like being on my stomach for him to check me out.  Things will all work out. Well it is bedtime and I really need my sleep.  So I'm off to beddy-by. Night! Tami http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/686781/ Thu, 7 May 2009 21:22:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/686781/ Things have changed around here.  My husband lost his job as of February 1, 2009.  We have looked and looked and went to interviews.  To try and do my part, I started making my own laundry soap, fabric softener, dishwashing soap, and I make everything from scratch.  We don't eat out.  Except the time the boys were gone and I took Sheyanne to McDonald's and got her 2 things off the $1 menu.  I try to hang clothes out as much as possible.  At the same time my husband lost his job, our dryer went out and we can't afford to fix it.  I now hang clothes out all the time.  It has been raining here for almost two weeks now, so it has been hard to hang things out.  We took a clothesline and hung two lines in our bedroom (which use to be the garage) and hang clothes out there.  I have had to hang some of the clothes on hangers and hang them ALL over the house.  Where has this world gone?  People are losing jobs that have been with companies for years.  I was watching Dr. Phil Monday when he went to Detroit to talk to the people that have lost jobs there.  He met a man that use to be a drug dealer and has now turned to pastoring.  He opened his church to take in the people that lost their homes and opened a clinic free of charge.  Dr. Phil did a seminar and told the people that "winners do and don't let anything stand in their way.  Losers just sit on the couch with the remote."  It is hard to be a "winner" when you go on a job interview and work one day and the boss tells you he will call you "tomorrow" and tomorrow never comes.  My husband has gone to two jobs and worked one day and the boss says he will call.  He never calls!  We see the job listed again and get discouraged. To make matters worse, I had Feb 25 and it isn't healing right.  I found out last month that I have to have a different surgery May 27.  I feel like I'm letting the family down.  I have about finished school with the kids.  They have a few more lessons in math to do and we should be done.  Since I will be recovering the month of June, we will work on reading and do the library program and work on basic math facts and that is it.  I feel like we are ahead so this will work.  I have some meals in the freezer that they can throw in the oven and then eat.  If that doesn't work, they can either eat a sandwich or starve.   Sorry!  The headache I have had for a week is starting to get to me.  I love my kids and hubby very much and would get up whether I felt good or not and fix them something to eat. Well, there are dishes to do and kids to put to bed so I can go to bed too.  Have a great day! ~Blessings Tami http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/686067/ Tue, 5 May 2009 19:31:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/686067/ Yesterday the sleet started.  It really didn't start until about 3p.m.  I thought an hour later that I better go to the library to have a couple of books that I needed to have for the kids schoolwork.  Well, I got to the library and the roads were slick.  I was trying to park and slid right to the side.    A couple of guys came by and pushed me to a parallel parking spot.  I went to get out and go into the library and couldn't walk.    My son got out of the car and was heading up the sidewalk when someone told him they were closing the library.    I decided I would just go home and forget the books.  Well I got 2 1/2 blocks from the house and slid all the way home.  My 16-year-old (who just got his permit) last week was trying to tell me how to drive.  I was shaking and and finally made it home.  I decided right then and there that I'm sitting here in the house until spring.  While I'm staying put in the house I think I will work on getting some things done.  I need to get my menu back into working order.  Anyone that has ideas or recipes for pork sausage, ham, or bacon I would appreciate having them.   We had a pig butchered a few months back and that is about all we have left.  I'm also going to start working on some crocheted socks for the family for Christmas.  I was in a rush this last Christmas so I thought I would get an early start this year.    Everyone in Missouri or Arkansas that is getting this ice, please stay inside and stay safe!  I am praying for the safety of everyone and that the electric stays on for everyone. Blessings, Tami http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/650999/ Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:08:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/650999/ Are you ready for Thanksgiving?  I have been preparing for a few days now.  My husband is a truck driver and was going to be home late Thursday night.  My step-daughter and her family was going to come down Friday for Thanksgiving dinner.  I have prepared for that day.  Well, my husband called today and said he would be in early Thursday afternoon and wants to do dinner that night if no one is coming Friday.  My step-daughter said they don't think they can make it now on Friday.  Urggghhhh!!!!   I'm so confused on what day to do dinner.  I'm thinking about telling everyone that we will be eating Thursday evening.  Then mom will go on vacation until Monday.  That would teach everyone to make their minds up.  At least I will be having a good dinner. Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving!! Blessings Tami http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/624366/ Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:11:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/624366/ It has been a long time since I have posted.  A lot has been going on.  My step-daughter's step-daughter has moved in.  My step-granddaughter's mother passed away a couple of weeks ago.  She is only 4 and has been through a lot.  She doesn't fully understand what is going on.  She only knows that she has a new grandma and grandpa.  We don't call ourselves step grandparents. As for my house, my son is halfway through his science.  We started Apologia's Exploring Creation with General Science.  He loves it.  He has experiments to do along with the daily reading and questions.  I can't believe the school year is not even halfway over, and I'm going to have to start looking for Exploring Creation through Physical Science.  My daughter has gone through her whole Spectrum reading book in the last couple of months.  We are having a good year so far.  We recently got a bible study with Your Story Hour.  We do the bible study, answer the questions, and return the questions and they send us either a cd or cassette.  It has been a great motivator for the kids. I have been working on my organization skills since I seem to have extra time with the kids getting their work done early.  We started menus.  This week's menu is:  Monday- Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad and applesauce   Tuesdday- Cashew chicken and rice Wednesday-Baked potatoes, black beans, corn, cornbread Thursday-Nachos with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream Friday-Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, peaches Saturday-Stuffed pasta shells, salad, garlic bread This is all for now, but hopefullly I will be back soon. Tami http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/614571/ Tue, 4 Nov 2008 18:43:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/614571/ A few days ago, I took my children to the local quilt store with another homeschool family.  The quilt store had planned a day around Laura Ingalls Wilder.  The kids learned all about her.   They learned about the special traps and got to see some just like it.  They learned about the candles and got to make their own small candles.  The teacher told about how Pa played the fiddle and she had a fiddle that she played for the kids.  It was a beautiful day out and the kids sat under a tree in the breeze and learned all this.  Plus they learned about birds and got a small pattern of a bird that they got to embroider.  They learned about stuffing the pillows with real feathers and then made their own pillow. It was a great day of learning of all.  While the kids were learning, the moms got to go to the local bookstore and shop.  I was able to find several Little House books and the kids have begged to read the books together.  We also found a lapbook online that goes along with the book that we are working on.  It was a great learning experience that has encouraged us to keep going on. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/586187/ Sat, 6 Sep 2008 18:14:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/586187/ This has been a fun week.  On Monday, we went to a local college and saw Teddy Roosevelt.  It was a musical/play.  The play was about 3 of Teddy Roosevelt's children hunting for a treasure.  Teddy takes the book Treasure Island and puts a piece of a made up scavenger hunt.  The children are hunting for the treasure that the think no one knows about.  The governorness, their father, and his assistant all know about it.  The treasure turns out to be the big dipper.  It was a great play and even my husband and I laughed through most of it.                                                                                                                                   Friday night we went to another college and saw Anne of Green Gables.  The kids didn't like this as much because it wasn't a muscial.  The did like it somewhat.  It was a long play but worth the money.  There were times that I cried and laughed. The kids have gotten in their theater and some literature this week and the plays made it a little bit fun for them.  I just wish they would've gotten some more work done but we will get there.  This week has been busy with the two plays, exercise at the YMCA, and storms full of rain.  We have been very lucky that we haven't floated away.  Next month will be just as fun as we are scheduled to help setup for the Scholastic Book Fair.  For our time, we will receive $20 worth of books of our own choice.  Plus we get the other books at a discounted rate.  I can't wait. ~Hugs   Tami http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/515141/ Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:25:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/515141/ I have been really doubting my decision to homeschool lately.  The kids are fighting constantly.  We are having a hard time completing our schoolwork.  I just don't understand what is going on.  My daughter tells me all the time that she doesn't understand things.  She just sits there and won't answer questions or talk.  My son will get so frustrated that he will yell at me or throw something.  The seem to out of control.  I have tried to do different things with them.  I recently decided to include a couple of field trips.  Nothing different.  Maybe we just need a little break. ~Hugs Tami  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/510222/ Thu, 3 Apr 2008 21:35:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/510222/ I saw this on Bobbi's blog and thought it was so neat.  Take a look and maybe you will agree with me. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/507605/ Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:21:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TamiCrossland/507605/