http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:46:00 -0500 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:46:00 -0500 So, I got a letter from the school board the other day.  My first reaction was of panic.  We've never had any problems in our area with homeschooling but there is always the first time right?!?!  Anyway, I open the letter and it was actually a very nice letter.  It thanked us for informing them of our intent to homeschool again this year and then they proceeded to inform us of the grade 3,6 and 9 testing that takes place every year.  They have told us of a deadline to contact them if we choose to have our daughter tested along with the other grade 3 students.  I'm not sure what to do.  Have any of you had experience with this? Do we need to have her take these tests?  The schoolboard isn't putting pressure on us, just informing us of what is available.  Is there any point to having her tested?  Aren't these tests to see how well the teachers are doing and how well the school system is performing?  Any insight would be greatly appreciated. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/595271/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:46:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/595271/ I can hardly believe that I have been off of here for so long.  Time sure flies when you are busy.  Now I am back though and since life is getting hectic again I thought I would ask you all for help.  I am on our Christian Education committee at church and every year we put a float into the Christmas parade.  This is a real source of irritation for the CE committe because we can never think of an idea for the float.  So, do any of you creative ladies (or men) have an idea for our float. We are a small country church so budget is an issue.  Obviously we want a churchy theme to it as well.  Thank you all for your help, it is greatly appreciated. Below is a recipe for making your own water color paints.  Enjoy. 3 tbsp. baking soda 3 tbsp. cornstarch 3 tbsp. white vinegar 1-1/2 tsp. light corn syrup food coloring in different colors Mix vinegar, baking soda corn starch and corn syrup together. Divide mixture into several bowls. Add food coloring to several different bowls. Use it wet or let the mixture dry and use a wet brush in them.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/591269/ Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:08:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/591269/ So it has been a long time since I have posted!  Christmas, New Years and now Valentines Day has come and gone and I am just starting to get life back on track.  One of my goals this year is to make our meals as healthy as possible.  That means trying to limit processed and pre packaged foods.  In trying to accomplish this I came across a new recipe.  If your children love McD's burgers because of the sauce then I have the answer for you. Here's the recipe: 1 c. Miracle Whip 1/3 c. sweet pickle relish 1/3 c. Thousand Island dressing to taste 1 tbsp. white sugar 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. dried onion flakes Mix together and spread on your burger.  I don't know how long this will last in the frig.  It never seems to make it to the fridge.   Enjoy! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/490945/ Sat, 1 Mar 2008 20:46:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/490945/ Every Christmas we hold and open house for our church.  As the pastoral family it is like our thanks to the church for all of their support.  I am tired of making the same recipes each year.  I am looking for new punch recipes, squares and cookies and sandwich recipes.  I would love to hear from you and your favorite Christmas treat.  Thanks so much! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/431714/ Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:02:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/431714/ Thank you for all of your advice.  I think we may have made a small break through.  My ds now recognizes the sounds and letters for 23 of the 26 letters.  Now if I can get him to realize that these letters and sounds are what we use to read and spell, I'll have won the war.  That's another battle though.  It'll come.  I just keep thinking what would have happened if he went to "real school?"  As it is he reads standing up and has to take several wiggle breaks per subject.  My ds would have been labeled and left behind....so grateful that I am my ds's teacher! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/428039/ Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:07:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/428039/ For the last month my ds has struggled with language( letters and sounds).  He won't be 6 until next month so he would be the youngest in his gr. 1 class.  He doesn't know all of his alphabet and can't seem to figure out sounds and how to make them into words.  He can't seem to see the connection in things.  For example: we practice his alphabet everyday and then do flashcards of letters and their sounds.  He hasn't made the connection that the alphabet and these letters are all the same.  He constantly asks me if the flashcard I am holding is "in the alphabet."  He doesn't see that the blends and special sounds we practice are in actual words.  He is great at memorizing in order but mix things up and he has no idea where to start.  Does anyone have any great tips on how to bridge the gap and show him the relationship between letters and words and letters and the alphabet? It is really holding him back. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/410062/ Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:56:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/410062/ Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends! So here I am in the potty training debacle.  We've had a few successes but many failures.  The Lord has definately been trying to teach me patience.  I know I say this with every child that I go through this with but "he is the hardest one yet!"  Add to that the issue of trying to accomplish school with two other children and I am virtually exhausted by the end of the day.  I wish that there was a magic pill to give him and then he would be trained.  So until the day that that happens I will be the parent with a 7 yr. old still scared of the potty;) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/405188/ Mon, 8 Oct 2007 19:51:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/405188/ I am sinking fast.  I am trying to train my 2yr old ds.  This is my third child to train and he is by far the hardest.  So, here it is...he's afraid of the toilet.  We have had some sucesses.  He has gone numerous times and we do reward him with a piece of candy or gum, his absolute favorite.  This is our third week of trying and we don't seem to be any further ahead than when we started.  His pull-up is always wet even when he goes on the potty.  He was born with Polycystic Kidney disease, he only has one functioning kidney.  I don't know if this is a contributing factor in our training dilemma or not.  that is something I have to investigate.  So does anyone has some great tips to help.  We give him books to read, we turn the tv to his favorite shows, we let him play with cars until one fell in.  I'm not going fishing again.  I'm desperate.  Help please! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/397423/ Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:09:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/397423/ We took the day off of school on Friday and went to the plowing match.  Can you tell what sort of community we live in? My dh was born and raised on a farm and compared to him I was born in the city.  I wasn't but I'm far from a country girl.  Anyway, we've been blessed to have been pastoring for the last 4 yrs. in a small farming community.  We love it.  I've learned so much about country living.  My mom always baked her own bread and canned and we NEVER bought cookies or sweets my mom always baked them.  So it's  not totally foreign to me to live by the sweat of our brow. Now I am learning all of these great skills about gardening, and signs of the seasons and great home remedies.  Anyway, I say all that to say that the most interesting part of the day for my 2 ds's was getting to sit on all the tractors, lawn tractors, four wheelers etc....  I've learned a lesson though...next yr. my dd and I will leave the boys to look are machinery so that her and I will get a chance to look at the stuff we want to see.  We never  did get to go into the craft tent or do any shopping!  Look out next year...dh has been warned! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/396273/ Sun, 23 Sep 2007 18:57:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/396273/ We finished our first week of school on Friday.  Here we are at Monday again and I still haven't gotten into a routine yet.  On top of school I am trying to train our 2 yr old.  Talk about over load. So we do the best we can and move on.  My 5 1/2 yr old is struggling with his letters and sounds.  Finally got the laundry caught up for today.  Made a roast and  I made a new dessert that I have never made before.  It is called Apple Kuchen.  Very good.  I'll add the recipe later.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/392805/ Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:33:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ajl3/392805/