Life Goes On - Homeschool Blogger

SNOW!!!

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 13:52:00 -0600

Well, we usually don't get too much snow here....anything that comes down is usually a 'dusting' and is melted by Noon.

But today we went out and made forts for a snowball fight!!!

99 Things

Tue, 3 Feb 2009 14:59:00 -0600

Donna C had this on her blog which came from Under-the-Pines Heidi's blog, which came from "Mrs. Nicklebee's" blog, which came from Karen Joy which I only 'know' Donna, but it was fun AND I thought I'd do it too... if anyone wants to play, leave a comment so I can check out your responses. My experiences are bolded:

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland (WELL~Slept across the street but didn’t get in because my cousin was sick when we were there….. )

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables (Only got to eat one carrot from my garden….we went away on vacation that year and my pet sitter forgot to weed…. I also have raspberry bush too!!)

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train (Don’t remember it much…I was little and my mom & I went to my aunt’s graduation)

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community (Actually been to Lancaster, PA many many times…and there is an Amish community here in Delaware too!)

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (Although this is not this season in life….I would be satisfied with enough to pay my bills right now.)

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing (Only if a fake wall counts!)

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance (Just this past fall…got hit in the face with a baseball at a minor league game…not fun.…at least I had just switched seats w/ my 6yo son../who by the way had me looking at the mascot 6 rows in front of us squirting a water gun....OH BY THE WAY…did you know on the back of your ticket it states they are not responsible for any injury!!!)

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing (Well it was off-shore…but I want to go WAY OFF-SHORE in deeper water)

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie (Just home movies…although my frat brother, who has worked with Tim Burton, has made several movies with frat bros in them…I wasn’t in them)

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (But not as a girl scout…I am the word-of-mouth advertising and sell them for friends’ kids)

62. Gone whale watching (Oh yes…and my son will quickly tell you Grandpa got sea sick!!!)

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (Got this from my dad….tey love me too because I bleed good!!)

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (Not yet in person…but went to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC…you are given an identity as you go thru ‘life’ and most of don’t/didn’t survive.)

67. Bounced a check (not on purpose, of course)

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt (Only a doll sized one….my mom has done more and I want to do more!)

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job (Yes, but disputed this and won with unemployment….but be it as it is, I live in an “at-will” state…they can fire you for any/no reason here!)

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone (Refer back to #46….fractured my maxillary sinus)

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book (I call it a book…my requirement for graduation was a thick spiral bound book….about 100 pages)

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car (A Big Big BIG mistake…since it was to replace my now ex’s vehicle….and I have a car payment….didn’t need that…..)

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper (Several times…for field hockey and riding antique bikes)

85. Read the entire Bible (Not specifically front to back…)

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (does slaughtering chickens count? I didn’t chop off their heads, but I did about everything else. Or fishing, then gutting the fish? Does that count? I’ve done that a billion times.)

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous (While working at QVC I met Marie Osmond, Richard Simmons, Joan Rivers...and of course all the hosts/hostesses....actually went to church with Mary Beth Roe. And Curt Shilling was a customer when I was a manager at Office Max)

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (no, but I flew over it while flying in to Salt Lake City!)

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Wow...65 things...I didn't think I would have that many of the 99...and I am only 36!!! Feel free to play along too!

CONTEST!!!

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 13:44:00 -0600

I was checking the company porch and found this AWESOME art project & contest!!! Please take a look, if you haven;t, it is wonderful and Dianna did a fantastic job!

25 Things

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:02:00 -0600

I was tagged on Facebook...so I have decided to post these here.....

1. I drink nearly a pot of coffee every morning.
2. I have a great son that I get to homeschool.
3. I have two children that my ex and I adopted, but neither live with me...due to 2 parent laws at that time.
4. I talk more to my 17 year old ds that lives 6hrs away nearly once a week.
5. I never get to see or talk to my 14 yo dd that lives 10 miles away.
6. I still get to talk to my best friend ("sister") from high school.
7. I would love to have a farm / B&B sometime.
8. I was with my ex for nearly 11 years.
9. I am an ordained minister with a wedding ministry I love.
10. I don't get nearly enough time to study my Bible everyday.
11. I miss marching band - which I sometime find odd.
12. I want to learn to play guitar....I bought on 3 years ago and now need lessons!!
13. I live in Southern Delaware...which is nice since many things are close (NYC/DC)....BUT I'd rather live in the Midwest where property is less expensive!
14. I love to draw.
15. I would love to have a house full of kids.
16. I loved being pregnant.
17. I think, even though I want to give birth to more children, I want to adopt a child/children from Africa.
18. I love preaching.
19. I miss my mom & dad since the RV full time, I don't get to see them much.
20. I am glad that my mom and I have a MUCH better relationship now...we talk almost everyday.
21. I want to have the ability to give more money and not worry about finances. (Wouldn't it be nice to have unlimited income and not have to give up all your time!)
22. I was once engaged to a wonderful guy...he's now married and he & his wife recently brought their son home from Taiwan.
23. It is snowing...and I love when it snows!
24. I love that my son makes up crazy songs.
25. I though 25 things would be hard....but I like learning more about my friends & family!

Feeling Discouraged

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 12:45:00 -0600

Hello everyone....I am having a bit of a struggle with my 6yo first grader right now. I am hoping to get some feedback from those of you who may be here now...or might have been here at one point. It seems that we are not "getting to schoolwork" at all these days. I am feeling very discouraged. When my older kids were schooling, we started at older ages and did a more school at home process....but now that it is just me & my ds.....we are really relaxed & unschooling. I am sure I do more real life learning than I see....but I am just feeling like we aren't schooling enough?!

Here is what we do get done...some reading - We are working are way thru "Tech Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" - usually 2 per day, and we usually read a book or two during the day - Me reading to him....as his current interest is the Scooby Doo books that are above his skills. We get art done 1-2x each week. We are working on the eIditarod project....so we are getting little spurts of that info. He doesn't do much writing....I'd like him to do more.

I feel like he has such an easy time spending time playing video games & watching tv.....yes I try to make some learning videos too (he loves Bill Nie the Science Guy....

Has anyone gone through a period of feeling like we are 'wasting time' and not being productive? Can you all give me some examples of how you foster the 'free learning'? Do you have a workstation set-up....art/craft station...what do you do?? (I am also asking this because I am thinking of setting up a "school" area...that may have bookshelves, art supplies, desk/work space, etc.'

Thanks!

Castles and dragons...

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:26:00 -0600

I know that this subject is mythical and some would consider not very Christian, but I am going to work on a lapbook with ds....he is interested in this and I am glad we have found something to hold in interest enough for him to WANT to read....oh it is tuff being 6 sometimes!

So, if you have any ideas that you think we could read or take a look at to include....please let me know!

Show & Tell Friday

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:22:00 -0500

I came across this S&T over at Mary's and decided to post a little show & tell too. I just finished reading a great book.

This caught my attention as I walked past it at the library. I suppose this is part to my love for Christ and the fact that I am an ordained minister myself and have faced many challenges in the past when preaching.

It was a insightful look at what sexism many woman face, even yet today, in the church.

Works For Me Wednesday (WFMW) - Cut Car Clutter

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:04:00 -0500

Hello....so I have decided to try to post the WFMW....check out Rocks In My Dryer for more great tips and ideas!!

So here it is.... Have you noticed the car seems to collect just as much stuff - or more - that the kitchen table or counter top??? Well, one thing I discovered is to keep a little basket or plastic tote in between the seats. This lets my son put his toys & such in there....it all comes inside with one trip! This is also a great way to re-use your grocery store bags.....little hands can clean up trash and toys and cleaning out the car happens quickly!!

E-Book REVIEW - TOS Homespun Holidays, Fall and Winter.

Sun, 5 Oct 2008 13:02:00 -0500

WOW! I am more eager now than ever for the holidays to be here. My son has been looking forward to Christmas to arrive, mostly because he wants several new toys...but I have just had the opportunity to review the latest E-Book, TOS Homespun Holidays, Fall and Winter. This was a wonderful assortment of recipes, ideas, crafts, and traditions - new and old.

PLEASE, take the chance to pick-up a copy of this E-Book for you and your family. I know that I will continue some of my own family traditions and after looking into this fabulous collection, I will be starting some new ones. I am ready to decorate in new ways this year! for Thanksgiving and Christmas! (Best of all, as a single mom, I REALLY LOVE that none of these ideas take lots of money...but will leave a lasting impression on all our kids!!!)

Artwork

Sat, 4 Oct 2008 07:45:00 -0500

My son visited Texas in May (At 5 he flew by himself to see his grandparents!)....he drew this the other day -all by memory. The circle in the middle of Texas is San Antonio.

A friend of mine is now in California and another went for military duty.....so he also drew California. We haven't really worked too much on the states, but I think I am going to do a little more now!