For Moms who don't fit into today's culture. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Thu, 6 Aug 2009 07:41:00 -0500 Thu, 6 Aug 2009 07:41:00 -0500 The Homeschool Buyer Co-op</a> is a free homeschooling organization for both new and veteran homeschoolers.  Co-op membership is free and confidential, and entitles homeschooling families to discounts from over a hundred educational suppliers.  They also sponsor "Group Buys" for curriculum packages that save homeschooling families lots of money. On the site you'll find lots of free information, such as databases of free curriculum, field trips, and educational contests and scholarships. Highly recommended. Homeschool Buyers Co-op http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/714816/ Thu, 6 Aug 2009 07:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/714816/ (Borrowed - not sure the original source) Top 10 Things NOT to say when asked "What?! No school today?" 10. Well normally yes, but this time of year I need help with the planting and plowing. 9. Goodness, no!!! I graduated 18 years ago, but thanks for the compliment! 8. No, we homeschool. We're just out to pick up a bag of pork rinds and some Mountain Dew, then we gotta hurry home to catch our soaps. 7. What?! Where did you guys come from?! Oh my! I thought I told you kids to stay at school! I'm sorry. This happens all the time. (sigh) 6. There isn't? Why, you'd think we would have seen more kids out then, don't you? 5. We're on a field trip studying human nature's intrusive and assumptive tactics of displaying ignorance and implied superiority. Thanks for the peek! 4. On our planet we have different methods of education. (Shhh! No, I didn't give it away... keep your antennae down!) 3. Oh no! I thought that today was Saturday...come on kids, hurry! 2. Noooooope. Me 'n Bubba jes' learns 'em at home. Werks reel good! And the number one answer we should NEVER give to the question: "What? No school today?" 1. "The school said they couldn't come back until they're no longer contagious"? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/714794/ Thu, 6 Aug 2009 06:33:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/714794/ I spend most of my mornings, with my Folgers, facebook & Fox & Friends. It has become more and more apparent to me, that the world considers parents as dispensible. After reading Hold Onto Your Kids, by Gordon Neufeld, Gabor Mate MD, and Saving Childhood, by Michael and Dianne Medved, I am even more glad that we decided to homeschool. Both books talk about the influence that the world, media and peers have on our kids. Peers have just about replaced parents as the source for children to get advice and direction. We are a nation of kids raising kids. How much of that is because they spend 6-8 hours 5 days a week in a public institution with same age peers? Add to this that the majority of the kids are dropped off before school, and attend after school, spending a small amount of time in the evening with their parents, and we wonder why our kids are growing up too fast? I don't buy the argument of "quality" time. I think being there to answer the questions as they arise, to guide, direct, and most of all love my kids through decisions, big & small, is more important. Not everyone can homeschool. But, we chose this route at great personal sacrifice. We could be making 2 incomes, and our financial situation would be easier, my husband would be less stressed, and the girls could do all kinds of activities. But, God gave us these 2 precious girls to raise, not to give to someone else to raise. And whether or not you agree with me, who is raising the kids who are in day care or school every day? Whose values and ideology will be instilled into these impressionable minds? Whose faith? Whose idea of freedom? Whose views on sex? I know that my views are going against the flow of feminism, and what the world thinks is right. But, I was never, NEVER as fulfilled running a nursing home for 60K a year, as I am taking care of, and teaching my kids for $0 a year. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/712377/ Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:26:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/712377/ It's been a while since we had pets. Our cat disappeared about 3 years ago, and since then we have strongly opposed new pets. Slowly, I became aware that I wanted a pet as much as the girls. So, last week, we went to the local Animal Shelter to get a cat. The operative word here is "A" cat. Our local animal shelter consists of fenced cages at this point, since they are still building the permanent facility. They do not charge and adoption fee. We went with the intention of getting a grown cat. At least that is what I intended. There was a plethora of cats and kittens there, all putting their cutest faces  forward. I chose a pretty orange and white cat, fully grown. She is HUGE, but very sweet. The girls wanted kittens. As a result we came home with one full grown cat and 2 kittens. Katie's is a grey striped kitten she named Tiger. Amanda's is a light orange/yellow longhair she named Peach. Peach was doubly blessed, because when we met the animal control officer at the shelter, he was bringing her in. She had just been dropped off as a stray. She never even made it to the cage! It has been fun watching Topaz (or Fat Cat as she has been dubbed) get used to the house and the kittens. At first she hissed is they were in the same room with her. Now she only gets really ticked off when they play with and bite her tail. The kittens play and fight constantly. They are so funny. Tiger chases the cursor on the computer screen, making in hard for me to see what I am doing. (I'll use that as an excuse explanation for any typographical errors). It has also been interesting to watch the girls interact with their kittens. Tiger wants to be on you or play all the time. Katie gets tired of that. Peach is much more independent and Amanda wants to hold her constantly. Hmmm, maybe they should switch kittens.... http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/710590/ Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:39:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/710590/ Well, it has finally happened. John has finally agreed to us getting a pet. I am so excited! I have a call in to the local animal shelter. They have a bunch of full grown cats and some kittens. I am hoping the officer will call back soon, and that the girls and I can go there today. The girls are at VBS this morning, and I would love to surprise them with a trip to pick out a pet when I pick them up. I am hoping I only leave with one pet, but I have a feeling I may end up with 3. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/707563/ Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:07:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/707563/ My girls, especially Amanda, love to play Lego Star wars. They know it makes me laugh hysterically when R2D2 crashes and screams. Okay, so I am a droid sadist. So, this morning, Amanda is crashing R2 over and over again, to make him scream so she can hear me laugh. Ah, it is the simple things...... http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/706126/ Wed, 8 Jul 2009 09:05:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/706126/ They don't know they are learning! Yesterday each girl had a friend over for the day. We took the opportunity to head to the local science center, since we have a reciprocal membership. The big exhibit was about the Circus and the science involved. When we first got there we all made the obligatory stop at the restroom. As is the case with most restroom stalls now, these had ads on the back, for the center's exhibits. One of the girls began reading about when the circus began and what it involved. Stealth learning instance #1. We went into the main exhibit, which was about the Circus. They each got an opportunity to go up in a bungee harness and practice acrobatic flips. Each girl had to figure out what they had to do to make themselves flip over. Stealth learning instance #2. There were tons of hands on exhibits, covering a wide range of physics, biology, chemistry etc. But they just knew they were having fun. Stealth learning at it's finest! So SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/703761/ Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:45:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/703761/ Well, Michael Jackson has died. This is upsetting on several levels. First, he was a year YOUNGER than me. Secondly, we all grew up with him, and remember his music fondly. Thirdly, and maybe only I feel this way - too much is being made about his demise. Sure, he was the "King of Pop". But the media attention and fan vigils just shows me that we as a nation have our priorities all messed up. Michael Jackson was an awesome entertainer. Apparently he was also a tortured soul. But, he is not worthy of worship. No human being is worthy of such idolization. We tend to put celebrities on pedestals. We take what they say as gospel. We raise them to a level where no man should be raised. 2 other celebrities passed away this week. Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett. They were also talented people, but are overshadowed by Jackson's death. Maybe the attention given to their passing is more appropriate to human beings who also happened to have some manner of celebrity. Maybe I am old-fashioned or a religious idiot, but to me this kind of worship is only appropriate for the  King of Kings, not the King of Pop. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/702653/ Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:45:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/702653/ I think I have Alzheimer's. No, that can't be it. My doctor says if you think you have Alzheimer's - you don't. Maybe it's just senility. Why did I wake up thinking about Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky from Alice in Wonderland? Then my mind went to Ogden Nash - "I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree, perhaps unless the billboards fall I'll never see a tree at all." And that one about the purple cow. There's got to be some short circuit up there for this stuff to surface from the deep recesses of my brain. Maybe it's chocolate deprivation.... http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/702031/ Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:38:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/702031/ Well, I had great plans to take the kids to the Scheile Museum today for the presentation on turtles, frogs and snakes. Amanda is a budding herpetologist, and I thought it would be fun. Especially since we have a membership to another nature center that gives us free admission. We are all about free. But, Katie and her friend from next door decided to camp out in the back yard last night. And, of course, theys stayed inside to watch the new episode of "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" and fight with Amanda. They bigger girls came in and commandeered Amanda's little bead design making thingy (the technical term), which she had started but not finished. This of course distressed Princess #2 out immensely. The bigger girls took 2 hours to make elaborate designs on these bead making thingys. Then they wanted to use the iron to melt the beads into a permanent design. They, however, did not know what they were doing. Luckily, they stopped BEFORE they melted plastic beads allover my iron. So, they took pictures of their designs, and gave then bases to Amanda who was tired and now whining loudly that she HAD to finish her design last night. Did she? Not. So, since we were up late, we bagged the idea of going to the museum. THe pool opens in less than an house, so I am thinking that will be a good place to go. I guess it's all about flexibility isn't it? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/701726/ Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:13:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/junecleaver/701726/