A reformed homeschooler talks about homesgoings on and anything else that comes to mind. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:53:00 -0600 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:53:00 -0600   Merry late Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!!   I had a really good Christmas this year. On Christmas Eve we watched opened presents and watched the latest Doctor Who. (which made me cry.) I got Rosanne's book, I Serve. (She goes to our Church)  I also got a really cute purse, a lava lamp in pink and yellow, and some makeup and candles.  I love candles. :)  Then on Christmas Day we went to the C's which was very fun.  :)  We ate dinner and went for a walk and played Apples to Apples. Kerilynn won :)   On Sunday there was the Christmas concert at the retirement home.  Forrest and Fiona played in it.  We walked home from it and Chris came with us.  We talked for quite a while and then played Halo for a bit.  He beat us all thoroughly.  It was tons of fun. :)   On the whole it was a very good week.    Happy New Year!  Love you all.  Shay <3 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/754565/ Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:53:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/754565/ I am currently obsessed with Lucy Maud Montgomery and especially her short stories. There's just something so satisfying about a happy ending. Even happy endings that take a long time to come about. Of her short stories I've read, The Doctor's Sweetheart, Among the Shadows: Tales from the Darker Side, After Many Days: Tales of Time Past, Against the Odds: Tales of Achievement, and I just finished, Across the Miles: Tales of Correspondence.   She ends all her stories so wonderfully...                                                                        The Letters     "His eyes were kindling into mine.  He held my hands in a close, impetuous clasp.  His voice was infinitely caressing as he pronounced my name.  I had never heard it since Father died - I had never heard it at all so musically and tenderly uttered.  My ancestors might have turned in their graves just then - but it mattered not.  Living love had driven out dead hatred.    'Isobel,' he went on, 'there was one letter unanswered - the last.'    I went to my desk, took out the last letter I had written and gave it to him in silence.  While he read it I stood in a shadowy corner and watched him, wondering if life could always be as sweet as this.  When he had finished he turned to me and held out his arms. I went to them as a bird to her nest, and with his lips against mine the old feud was blotted out forever."                                                              A Millionaire's Proposal "'Can you forgive me, Jack, and take me back?'  I whispered, cuddling up to him.     And he said - but, on second thought, I will not write down what he said.    We are to be married in June."                                                 The Schoolmasters Letters    "'Una!' he said.  He had been very blind, but he was beginning to see.  He took a step nearer and took her hands.  She threw up her head and gazed, blushingly, steadfastly, into his eyes.  From the folds of her gown she drew forth the little packet of letters and kissed it.    'Your dear letters!' she said bravely.  'They have given me the right to speak out.  I will speak out!  I love you, dear! I will be content to wait through long years until you can claim me.  I - I have been so happy since your letters came!'    He put his arms around her and drew her head close to his.  Their lips met."   They're so simply beautiful.    I also love the Emily series, Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, and Emily's Quest.  I was never much of a fan of Anne.  I liked Emily much much better.  I can relate to Emily.   I love happy endings in books and movies.  I don't care too much how much horribleness there is in the beginning and middle of the story as long as the end is happy.  Not that I don't like unhappy endings.  Lady Jane is one of my favorite movies and it is very sad.  But a happy ending is very satisfying.  It leaves a good feeling.    I just watched The Star Wars series for the second time in my life.  It was about five or six years since I saw them last, so it was fun watching them over.  I did not  watch the third though.  I've decided I'm not going to watch that one unless I get married and my husband wants me to see it.  My favorite is the sixth, Return of the Jedi.  And my favorite characters are first, Han, then Obi Wan and Luke.  I've never been a big fan of Princess Leia.  She always seemed hard to me.  Anyways, I enjoyed them.  :)   Besides the jacket and wallet I bought, for my birthday I got Remember the Titans, (One of my most favorite movies ever) A cute purple shirt, a light blue scarf, a Twilight calender, the Twilight soundtrack, and The Settlers of Catan expansion pack for everyone.  I really like that game.  Along with Carcassonne.  They are two of the most awesome games ever.  :D    hehe That's Julian Smith's latest video.  I like his new ending.  "I made this for you!"  To get that you have to watch Hot Koolaid. :D   Right now I'm sitting here in a comfy arm chair listening to my playlist.  Currently playing is Calling You by Blue October.  Everyone else is in bed and soon I will be to, writing in my journal and writing a letter.  Miss Marple is rattling around in her cage.  And our newest member of the family Gussie Fink-nottle the frog is croaking.  For right now all is right with me and everything else.  If only it would stay that way for a little while...    Well, goodnight.  Love and prayers to you.  <3    Shayleen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/752306/ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:52:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/752306/   Last night we went to the KA concert at Church.  KA is the school in our Church.  They sang songs, read poems, and did chimes.  I especially love chimes.  They're really fun to play, and when everything goes well, they sound wonderful.  :) Afterwords everyone went downstairs and had cookies and talked.  I laughed so hard... Wesley and Daniel, when you put them together, are hilarious!  :D    I went Christmas shopping on Thursday with Mama and got presents for almost everyone.  I also bought with my birthday money a wallet from Aero and a teal jacket from American Eagle.  I love the mall, especially in Christmas time.  I also almost applied at a store called Starwars.com.  I think that would so cool!  :D  Being in there reminded me how much I love Legos.   This Sunday the choir is singing Lift Up Your Heads Oh, Ye Gates, which is part of Handel's Messiah.     It's a beautiful song, but very difficult.  I'm really looking forward to seeing it, we've worked very hard on it.  We'll be singing it again with the Christmas Play.  :) Love You, Shayleen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/749846/ Sat, 5 Dec 2009 17:26:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/749846/   So, it's Monday and once again I'm not feeling so great.  I hate Mondays!    If I could go to any college that I wanted I would go to Hillsdale.  It's in Michigan and it's the best one we've found so far.  Forrest is planning to go eventually, I think it would be a wonderful college for a young man for a couple years.  There are a lot of really good areas of study too  Economics and Political Science.  I think that's what Forrest wants to study.  Yeah, it's a long ways away, and that would be very, very hard, but I think it's good for people to get out and do something that's different and hard.  Something that I need to work on myself.  :P   I just finished watching "A Walk To Remember" for the first time.  A very good movie, but very sad.  Love Shay http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/748594/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:43:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/748594/    Yesterday I practiced using the serger that Mrs. S loaned us.  It's still a little confusing and I can't get all the stitches tight...  but I'm learning.  I'm currently working on an apron.  While I was sewing I watched some movies.  The 2008 Sense and Sensibility and Lady Jane.  I cried during both of them, but mostly during Lady Jane.  That one always makes me cry.  Very hard.  Cary Elwes does a wonderful job...   Today was first Sunday of advent.  We had our first all together play practice today also.  It gets pretty funny at times...  :P  Otherwise I don't think anything else has happened...  We went home almost immediately after practice was over.  Chris and Lindsey came with us.  We all talked for a while and then Chris and I played chess.  It was the best game I have ever played.  :)  And also the first full game of chess I've played in a couple years.  :P  I really like chess.   I think I'm catching a cold...   I've really been enjoying listening to the Christmas music.  I love this song.  :)    Blah...   I love Christmas so much...    I am having so much trouble trying to figure out what to get people for Christmas...  I am really bad at it...  :P    This week I have choir on Wednesday, but no piano lessons.  :P  I turn 18 on Thursday, the KA concert is on Friday, and on Saturday Mama and I are going to go Christmas shopping.  It will be a busy week.  That is good though.  :)  I like business.  It keeps me moving forward.    Anyways, I think that's all I wanted to say tonight.  Goodnight... Love, Shayleen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/748351/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:13:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/748351/ We're going to watch New Moon with Benny, Josiah, and Nathan E tonight :) I'm looking forward to that. We pretty much finished decorating the Church now. It looks really nice. :) I sprained my ankle on the way back to the house and now it's killing me! :P I hate spraining my ankles... We're leaving soon :) Shay http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/747952/ Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:48:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/747952/ I am all of the sudden very lonely and rather depressed... And my head hurts... I'm in the middle of reading "The Book of the Dun Cow", and am listening to my Instrumental Pandora station. This book is very depressing so far... Well, Thanksgiving is tomorrow. And I'm going to see New Moon on Saturday. So I shouldn't be depressed. Or lonely for that matter. I'll probably feel better tomorrow... Goodnight to you. And God bless. Shayleen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/747612/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:53:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/747612/   I went and saw New Moon with some people from Church last Saturday.  I really enjoyed it.  I like New Moon better than Twilight anyway, and they did a better job on this movie than the last one.  It was much better acted, I thought.  I'm hopefully going to watch it again this Friday.  :)  No, I'm not one of those creepy Twilight fanatics.  :P  I just enjoyed the books and movies. Twilight Quiz from Quiz Rocket! Christmas Character Quiz :: Christmas Quiz Naughty or Nice? & Christmas Quizzes     Bella Swan You are Bella Swan, the apple of Edward's eye. You are very private, clumsy, sweet and funny. You have a wonderful ability to accept people (or mythical creatures) for what they are. You have an amazing capacity to love, even though you can be too hard on yourself.   Love, Shay http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/747267/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:41:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/747267/   I just finished reading Passion & Purity - Learning To Bring Your Love Life Under Christ's Control by Elisabeth Elliot.  I thought it was very inspiring and helpful.  She had things to say that I hadn't heard before.  She also explained certain things that I have been having some trouble with.  I would highly recomend it to anyone.    In Christ, Shayleen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/746975/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:21:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/746975/  Papa's out of town tonight so we're staying up late watching Indian movies.  It's a lot of fun.  First we watched Nandukonden Kandukonden or I Have Seen, I Have Realized, I Have Found It.  It's based on Sense and Sensibility and it's very sweet.  Now we're watching Kuch naa Kaho.  I love the music and the costumes.  There's one dress in the first movie that I want to make.  Maybe I'll use it for a dance I've been planning...   I've been thinking about having a dance next month or late the month after.  A black and white ball.  Kind of for my 18th birthday, but that's more an excuse really.  :P  The only problem is that I don't know how to put music together for a dance...  I don't even have the music yet.  I'm thinking it will have to be late January.   Hehe these movies make me laugh...  Next I want to get Bride and Prejudice.  :D  lol   I've been making and remaking my plans for the next couple years over and over.  :P  I can't decide...  Should I go away to college and study Political Science and journalism, or buy a house and all that jazz...  One kind of cancels out the other.  I can either save the money and buy a house or save the money and go to college.  I think I'm leaning towards the house.  Then if I have time and money later I'll go to college.    Last night we watched Collison at our Church.  It was a very interesting movie, I would highly recomend it.  I'd heard most of the stuff that Doug Wilson said already, but it was really interesting to hear a debate between two people.  I really enjoyed it.  Well, it's late and the movie's almost over.  Goodnight all. <3 Shay http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/746144/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:49:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cokeandpearls/746144/