Learning Life Through Unschooling - Homeschool Blogger

I'm moving

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:43:00 -0600

Oh dear blogger.com - why did I ever doubt you?? You're loyal, customizable and allow javascripts. You don't have bad lag times and you certainly don't take forever to post new entries. And I can always log on.

Yep, I'm moving back to blogger. Please update your RSS feeds if you use them. And if you don't, you really should look into bloglines.com - eeeeeeeeasy - all blog updates to all the blogs you read on one page. Very fast. ;)

So here's my new site:
http://learninglifethroughunschooling.blogspot.com/

Those with RSS feed readers, you might have some really old posts show up the first time because I've spent the last couple of days transferring over my old entries. But it should sort itself out the next time you visit.

Thanks!!

Death warmed over must feel like this

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 10:36:00 -0600

On top of stalling to go to bed last night (because I knew the minute I laid down, the battle of breathing would be over and it would win), and on top of having a horrible night of up and down and coughing and sneezing and trying to breathe and let's not forget the pregnancy related bathroom trips during the 3rd trimester....on top of ALL of that, Rose apparently was having a horrid night too and ended up on our floor...grinding her teeth as loudly as she could. She also couldn't breathe very well so each inhale was a whistley mucusy sound followed by loudly grinding teeth.

Those sounds were *not* fun to try to sleep to...when I actually could sleep.

However, being sick has had a very small advantage. I finished a bag I've been working on! My friend's SIL made a knitted one for her similar to this and I fell in love with it. So I improvised a similar pattern in crochet and voila... here it is...

It's the first bag I've ever crocheted and I'm quite proud of the results. :) I made it extra big so it can serve as a diaper bag come April. Now, make me feel good (if that's possible) and tell me how pretty it is.

Sick. sick. sick

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:55:00 -0600

Yep, that's us. SICK. I don't know what it is (cough, cough) but the girls tested negative for flu and strep (ouch my throat hurts) but we've all had fevers (Rose's was 103F for two days and that was ON Tylenol and Motrin). (sneeze, sniffle, cough, sniffle) My fever appeared last night. Why, you ask? Well, it could be because when you're pregnant, your immune system is a little repressed - which is great for the MS but totally bad for these pesky colds and sinus stuff that goes around every winter that I'm already susceptible to. (wheeze, cough, sneeze, cough, cough, cough) Or, it could be that when your kids are almost-two and almost-four and they're sick (sneeze, sniffle, sniffle, blow), they have this NEED to LAY ALL OVER YOU and wipe their faces all over you and make you miserable just as they are starting to feel better and get their energy back. (cough, cough, sneeze, sniffle, ouch my poor throat) So I'm going downhill fast and they're doing pretty good at this point, after a week of being pretty darned sick. Though the girls are still coughing and sniffling, their fevers are gone and they're playing and *trying* to run around (cough, cough) though when they do, it just makes them cough like they have TB so I'm doing my best in my fever-induced state (sneeze, sniffle, wheeze, wheeze, cough) to keep them doing quiet activities.

I give up (cough, cough, ouch)... I'm just going to hang a big black flag on the porch indicating that the plague is here. And then I'm going back to bed (sneeze, sneeze). Oh wait - that's in my MIND - I can be sick in bed in my MIND because I have lunch to prepare and kids to get down for nap...ahhhh...nap....nap... can I (cough) make (sneeze) it? (cough, cough, ouch)

I'm a huge, tired, aching pg woman...emphasis on huge!

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:31:00 -0600

28 weeks. Technically *just* in the third trimester. I still have 12 good weeks left before my due date. And...well....just LOOK at me!!!! I know you're supposed to get larger with each pgcy but I have TWELVE weeks left to go. This is just plain RIDICULOUS. According to handy-dandy babycenter.com, my baby only weighs TWO pounds. TWO. Can you imagine what 5-6 more pounds is gonna look like here??? No wonder I have to go see a physical therapist to tape my back up for support - I mean, just LOOK at me!!!

Here I am, in all my pregnant glory (please forgive the deer-in-the-headlights-look), the morning I delivered Rose (pgcy #2). See the hospital bed in the background??

And here I am at 28 weeks on this pgcy (#4)...same sweater, no tricks (sorry about the angle - I had to use the tripod and run in two seconds for the self-timer..teehee). No sticking my tummy out or bending funny, and I'm very nearly the same weight I was at this time in the other pgcy. This is me. Now. HUGE.

Now please, somebody...ANYBODY...tell me it's not twins ok??

I just got back from my 28 week checkup with my OB. Everything looks fine...thyroid, blood count, etc. And I've actually gained weight - shock!! I typically lose weight when pg - LOTS of weight. First two pgcys I lost 60lbs and the last one I lost 30. Today I was only 1lb under my starting weight so I *guess* that's good. But here's where the shoe dropped...the gestational diabetes test. It was supposed to be under 140 and my level was 194. She wanted to send me for the 3hr but that 3 hour makes me sick for 3 days so I asked if I could just start monitoring at home instead (since I already have the stuff). She agreed.

Soooo...everyone keep the prayers coming that I can control it with diet and exercise please! I certainly don't want shots. 'Course that would get me ready for my MS shots after delivery I guess. lol I'm just a mess anyway you look at it. ;)

More Math

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:26:00 -0600

It seems that every unschooling post I've come across in the last week (and even my message boards) have people wondering about math. Apparently after you get the "But homeschoolers need to be SOCIALIZED" argument and the "You don't have a CURRICULUM??" argument, the next question is about math. It appears that no one on the face of the planet (or that I know, which is just about that many people) thinks that kids will learn math if they're not FORCED to learn it. Well, I'm here to prove them wrong (hang on a second, Matthew wants to give me the low-down on his Justice League book). ;)

OK, book report finished. On to math.

When people find out that I homeschool, they ask how long I'm going to do it. I respond, "I'd like to do it through high school but we'll see if that's what they want," and they say something that basically translated means, 'well, you must be a genius because I couldn't EVER teach my kids higher math and science!" - Quite frankly, I'm not sure I can either! But there are groups - there are co-ops from parents who actually liked math and science (some were teachers too!) who will teach these things to high school aged kids in a relaxed style...or be available for questions if that's all the kids want. And my husband loves math and science too and is eagerly already planning microscope purchases.

How does everyone start their preschoolers out with math? They start by looking at numbers, learning their names, counting and adding small things together. Then they send them to school for "higher math" - you know those complicated multiplication and division rules...and please let's not even DISCUSS algebra. So what happens after simple addition? They move on to double and three digit addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. According to http://www.achievementtech.com/go/alignments-and-correlations/states/a---m/missouri/missouri-grade-level-expectations division is first introduced at grade 3 (Math A chart on that site).
"Using Multiplication and Division: Lesson 1 – Basic Multiplication Facts
Using Multiplication and Division: Lesson 2 – Basic Division Facts"

Do I feel confident that math and science won't get too hard until at least 3rd grade? Hmm... well...
Matthew would be in kindergarten this year if he were attending PS (public school). This weekend, he asked me if he could have some of his Christmas candy. After I recovered from the shock that THERE WAS ANY LEFT by mid January, I told him yes. He comes downstairs with a baggie of chocolate covered nuts and asks how many he can have. I asked him how many there were.
Matthew: "Five."
Spotting an opportunity, I responded, "You may have half of what's there."
He immediately says, "What's that, like 4 or 5?" without thinking, as most any child would do.
I said, "You may have half."
He looks at the bag and quickly looks up at me: "But Mommy, there's only 3 and 2 - I can't make it half."
So I made the two piles of two and had the last one sitting by itself.
I said, "OK Matthew, now - you have two equal piles. How do you put this other one in the piles to make them even?"
At this moment, Rose walked into the room behind me. His eyes light up and he says brightly, "You give one to your little sister!!" Enthusiastically said because he 'knew' he had the 'right' answer, of course. ;)
With a chuckle, I told him that was one way to do it but what if we didn't do that - how could we make two equal piles? He thought about it for a bit before giving up. I explained that we could cut it in half and watched the light bulb in his mind flicker on. In the end however, he decided on an apple instead because "it's healthier anyway".

Real. Life. Learning. No forcing him to learn math. He had a question...he needed an answer...we spent 5 minutes on it and moved on. But I'm certain that the five minute lesson will be brought up again soon. He was already halfway there, realizing that 3 and 2 were the closest to 'half' of 5 that he could get.

This is how learning occurs in our house. As it comes up. As we live our lives. Math is easy...it's everywhere. Science is everywhere. Now the names of dead presidents and their dates in office...that's a little different. ;)

Bed issues again

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:48:00 -0600

I posted last week about the fact that we need to move Jade out of the crib for the new baby. So we need to put together a game plan for how to do it and which beds would be for which person. Matthew was very stern on the fact that he didn't want to change his bed so I was trying to get Rose to use the unused futon for a while so Jade could have Rose's railed bed. Rose wasn't too happy with this either and ended up in tears.

We talked about it again today. I unfolded the futon so Rose could see how big it was and, surprisingly, she was happy to try it, as long as I got her a rail for the one side so she doesn't fall out. ;) But then she wanted to move her toys and sound machine into Jade's room. And as I sat there trying to explain that this was Jade's room, I realized Rose is the oldest girl - she should get some privilege. Plus them switching rooms accomplishes some good things...one...Jade's current room is the biggest - it's also the coldest in winter and warmest in summer. Rose can pull up more blankets when she's cold...Jade doesn't do that yet. And Rose's room is the warmest in winter so that works out. I told her we wouldn't be doing any painting so she'd have to live with the light green walls and give up her purple butterflies and she was OK with that too. The closet is smaller but until she's a preteen I doubt she'll notice. And Jade's current room is the one they'll eventually share so that works too. The only kink I can think of is that Jade has discovered how to do the L shaped door handles now so we'll have to switch her handle to the knob and put a childproof knob on it. And the gate doesn't go past that room so we'll have to be diligent about it since she's only *just* gotten the guts to go down the stairs by herself. Other than that, I think it'll work out better than what I was thinking and bonus - no beds have to be moved around!

So it looks like we'll be changing the girls rooms around, which I forsee as a major theme in our lives for the next 15-20 years or so. ;)

When will I learn to stop trying to over think things and just ASK THE KIDS???

Great news!

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:03:00 -0600

It rained all night and rained off all the ice!! So when the winds pick up today, there should be minimal additional power outages. I think we made it through with no power loss! :)

My kids are so sweet to each other. I remember, even when my brother (3 years older than me, almost to the day) and I were this age, we didn't like each other one bit. 'Course my friend who believes in astrology says that it's because we're both bull-headed Tauruses. lol Perhaps it was our personalities. Perhaps it was the age difference. Perhaps it was that he was a middle child and I was the only girl and he perceived that I was doted on. I don't know. But we never ever got along. If I knew he wanted the last of a certain cereal, I'd take it just to spite him...and vice versa. When we got older, we would have fights - the kind that included nails and teeth. Very rarely (and I do mean VERY rarely), we would get along for 5 seconds. I remember playing with stuffed animals a few times. I remember him trying to teach me to draw (what a waste of his time because I have neither the talent nor interest! LOL). And maybe even a bike ride once or twice.

But my kids are very sweet to each other. I don't know what caused it but I'm so incredibly blessed to get to watch it and participate in it. I think it heals some part of my inner child to see them be so sweet to each other. Some recent conversations (that I had NO part in, other than listening)...

Rose: Matthew, I got a bowl for you for your cereal.
Matthew: Oh thanks! <walks to the fridge and gets a cup of milk I left for him. I leave these out because they insist on waking at the crack of dawn> Thanks, Rose, for leaving me the Spiderman cup!
Rose: You're welcome. Matthew, can you please get me a spoon?
Matthew: Sure, and I'll even get you an ADULT spoon!!
Rose: Yay! I like adult spoons!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Matthew: Mommy, will you put a pony tail in Jade's hair?
(this is the same kid who put me through 5 months of pouting about gymnastics [but not totally refusing to go] because, I find out at the end of 5 months, that he doesn't like his teacher because she wears ponytails!!!!!!!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Matthew: Rose, remember we're playing '5 o'clock crazy hour' now! Chase me!!
(I think someone's been lurking on my blog...hmmmm)

The power is in me!

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 10:54:00 -0600

Well....in my house anyway. ;) I am not one of the almost 6,000 without power in my zip code, thankfully! We are in a newer subdivision and our power lines are buried. And the main road we tie into redid their power lines a few years ago when they expanded the road so they're up higher. Maybe we have a chance yet...but there are several sections of the main road that are near wooded areas so we'll see. My best friend has been out of power since Friday at midnight. Fortunately they have a log fireplace and all slept in the living room and say they're pretty warm. And apparently, there IS a use for those old BOARD GAMES after all! LOL

I do worry a lot about MIL and FIL's house. They're deep in wooded country and with Nana (MILs mom) on hospice care in their home, if their power goes out, she has to be sent to a medical facility - which she vehemently does not want to go to. But there really is no other choice. So I'd rather our power go out than theirs. At least we're all well for once (knock on wood)....man, I just jinxed us, didn't I? <sigh>

In other news - did you hear our GREAT StL news?? Two missing boys on AMBER alert (including one boy, Shawn, who's been missing for over FOUR years) were found and returned this week!! It's been a fabulous high and when Hubby stopped at a couple stores on his way home Friday night, that's all people were discussing around him. It's been a very hopeful and uplifting story for us all in St. Louis and we're so happy that they've been found. Shawn's case was so very highly publicized that even I (who watched mostly PBS at the time) knew a lot about it and have worried and prayed for him for these long 4+ years. Though I admit - I didn't expect a happy ending, if any ending at all. These are the stories that, as a parent, make you cry for days and weeks - knowing how fortunate you are at the same time your heart breaking for the family involved. You wonder how in the world they ever decided to even keep breathing in and out after a point. And to have their son returned after all this time! The joy in me (and in all St. Louisans) for them is just simply overwhelming. Please send continued prayers for the boys and their families that they can work through their experiences, move past them and return to a somewhat normal life. For more details, check out one of our news channels: http://www.ksdk.com/

So until the ice onslaught ends, I'll be working on a new crochet project. I'm adapting a bag pattern into a diaper bag and using some neat elf eyelash yarn with wool and will felt it when done. I hope it turns out as cute as my friends bag!! :)

The Ice Man Cometh, part I

Sat, 13 Jan 2007 11:56:00 -0600

The ice storm hit last night. Apparently our county was one that got the brunt of the storm. I wanted to post some pictures of it currently. This is part 1. Part 2 starts tonight and we're expected to have heavy ice with thunder (meaning extra heavy) and then part 3 again tomorrow, finally turning to snow on Monday. There are 100,000 customers without power right now so I'm praying ours stays on. But with the added wind and ice coming tonight, I'm not incredibly hopeful. I need to collect flashlights, blankets, candles, batteries, etc. just in case.

The ice on the trees *is* awfully pretty to look at though. ;)

Rose's tree:

Also, last week was National De-lurking Week. Soooo...knowing that I *do* have a program that tracks visitors to my site daily, I know there are lots more of you than are leaving comments. Sometimes I find myself lurking when I don't know what to say. So, if you're lurking around here, please - tell me what you think of ice. Do you like to chew on it? Do you like to look at it on trees when you don't have to drive on it? Do you live somewhere so hot that you've never seen an ice-covered tree? Do you live somewhere so cold that you could barely stand to hear me say that it was beautiful? Come on, de-lurk and leave a comment! It just might bring a little warmth to me on this very cold day. ;)

Comet!!

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 17:35:00 -0600

The brightest comet in the next 30 years is visiting us right now. In the night sky, just after sunset, locate Venus - one of the earliest stars to come up (due west). Place your hand up (fingers pointed straight up) and put Venus on the left side of palm. The comet should be on the right side - should look like a fuzzy star but a nice long tail - if you have binoculars or telescope, this is the night to get them out! :)

Wish I knew how to set up Hubby's telescope.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/01/08/surprisecomet_spa.html?category=space&guid=20070108163030

The important thing here is do it TONIGHT. You may not be able to see it after the 12th.