This space is to share God's blessings upon our home through homeschooling! My mission for this season is sealed as a wife, mother and home schooler! What an awesome God we serve! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:26:00 -0500 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:26:00 -0500 Looking for more? Visit us at http://HandlirsHope.blogspot.com http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/560888/ Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:26:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/560888/ Things have been so crazy here since the summer began.  Travis is being HSd part-time for the summer along with his brother.  Let me tell you, 13 yo boys HATE school in the summer! LOL! Shortly after beginning summer HS camp came along, then a mini-much needed-vaction, the the 4th , yadda, yadda, yadda! Now we are dealing with pink eye!  We have no idea where it came from, but it came! I began both the boys, on their age-appropriate levels, with Handwriting Without Tears.  Vincent SO needed to re-learn how to write in cursive and Travis expressed an interest.  Both are doing well!  It's actually been nice to have both of them here as Vincent was in PS and I have yet to make the bold decision of taking him out of PS.  Hubby tells me to do what I feel is best, but what is best?  How do I know? Well, God knows what is best!  He always has our backs!  Our best interests are ALWAYS forefront with God!  What a calming thought.  The creator of the unviverse and beyond is concerned about our welfare.  It's sobering in this "me, me, me" world! To know this is freeing!  Very seldom do I now get too anxious.  If I do, I feel the tug of the Holy Spirit nudging me to place it at the Lord's feet and wait for His answer.  How cool is that?!  Not only does He care so much about you that He will honor your requests (in His time and way), but He will also take away your anxiety about the whole situation!  Cool!! I pray that the Lord touches your heart today about something you need to give to Him.  Do it!  It will be one of the most freeing experiences you will ever have!  Oh, and by the way, don't let "momy-instinct" take over!  He can handle it!  Trust Him! Thought I would share our pics from Ocean City..... http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/558664/ Wed, 9 Jul 2008 08:21:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/558664/ Well, my handsome, God fearing, Jesus loving, Bible reading, Build-A-Bear fan little boy wanted a new haircut.......................................... The face fits the new mohawk well, don't you think? LOL! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/553125/ Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:31:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/553125/ What fun it was on the 1st day of summer! We had steamed crabs, pool time and crafts!  We made Sharpie Tye-Dye shirts........... The supplies... The work..... The finished shirts (even mommy made one)..... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Well, I have been getting a lot of requests for the instructions.  So here you go: Rubbing Alcohol (in a spray bottle), Rubber Bands, white t-shirt & sharpies & tennis balls You can either twist the shirt and rubber band it OR lay shirt flat, put the tennis balls underneath, gather and rubber band.  then color away with the sharpies.  After you are done, lay on newspaper or the ground and spray with the alcohol.  Colors will start to "bleed" slightly.  Let dry.  Remove rubber bands and/or tennis balls.  Hang up to dry then wash in cold and dry. That's it!  Have fun!       http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/551088/ Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:26:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/551088/ A while back Travis began collecting items to be placed in his time capsule.  Well, it's finally complete!  He is following in his big brother's footsteps as Vincent put together a time capsule when he was 7 as well.  Travis has included such things as his "little-kid's" Bible since he has been baptized and presented with a "big-boy" Bible, a recent photo, a recent drawing and a few more bits of memorabilia.  He also included a "Favorites" list and a letter to himself. Opening is not scheduled until after 6/2019 when he will be 18 years old!  UGH! Do I have to think that far ahead?  We then placed it in his keepsake box, where I have saved things here and there like his 1st jean jacket, 1st birthday cards and more. Here he is with the completed, sealed time capsule: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/550382/ Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:13:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/550382/ Today, the HCPL hosted the MD Zoo's "Going, Going, Gone" program.  It was really cool!  The kids learned about endangered species and got to meet a few critters that could be, one day, in danger of being extinct. The ladies from the zoo brought a blue poison dart frog, a porcupine, bog turtle and a beautiful macaw! Travis was ready with questions....... and we got to see the macaw up close...... God sure was generous with His beauty!  These creatures were all interesting and wonderful! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/549581/ Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:03:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/549581/ Thanks to HAHSA & my mom, I finally got a Mom's Night Out!  Not only was it great fellowship with other HS mom's, but I learned to decorate cakes!  Our wonderful hostess Kym opened her home and let us get messy as we learned from Cathy!  Thanks ladies!! Here are some of my practice strokes: Here is how I put it together on a cake for hubby:                 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/549577/ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:00:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/549577/ Home-schoolers threaten our cultural comfort SONNY SCOTT 6/8/2008 9:39:01 AM Daily Journal You see them at the grocery, or in a discount store. It's a big family by today's standards - "just like stair steps," as the old folks say. Freshly scrubbed boys with neatly trimmed hair and girls with braids, in clean but unfashionable clothes follow mom through the store as she fills her no-frills shopping list. There's no begging for gimcracks, no fretting, and no threats from mom. The older watch the younger, freeing mom to go peacefully about her task. You are looking at some of the estimated 2 million children being home schooled in the U.S. , and the number is growing. Their reputation for academic achievement has caused colleges to begin aggressively recruiting them. Savings to the taxpayers in instructional costs are conservatively estimated at $4 billion, and some place the figure as high as $9 billion. When you consider that these families pay taxes to support public schools, but demand nothing from them, it seems quite a deal for the public. Home schooling parents are usually better educated than the norm, and are more likely to attend worship services. Their motives are many and varied. Some fear contagion from the anti-clericalism, coarse speech, suggestive behavior and hedonistic values that characterize secular schools. Others are concerned for their children's safety. Some want their children to be challenged beyond the minimal competencies of the public schools. Concern for a theistic world view largely permeates the movement. Indications are that home schooling is working well for the kids, and the parents are pleased with their choice, but the practice is coming under increasing suspicion, and even official attack, as in California . Why do we hate (or at least distrust) these people so much? Methinks American middle-class people are uncomfortable around the home schooled for the same reason the alcoholic is uneasy around the teetotaler. Their very existence represents a rejection of our values, and an indictment of our lifestyles. Those families are willing to render unto Caesar the things that Caesar's be, but they draw the line at their children. Those of us who have put our trust in the secular state (and effectively surrendered our children to it) recognize this act of defiance as a rejection of our values, and we reject them in return. Just as the jealous Chaldeans schemed to bring the wrath of the king upon the Hebrew eunuchs, we are happy to sic the state's bureaucrats on these "trouble makers." Their implicit rejection of America 's most venerated idol, Materialism, (a.k.a. "Individualism") spurs us to heat the furnace and feed the lions. Young families must make the decision: Will junior go to day care and day school, or will mom stay home and raise him? The rationalizations begin. "A family just can't make it on one income." (Our parents did.) "It just costs so much to raise a child nowadays." (Yeah, if you buy brand-name clothing, pre-prepared food, join every club and activity, and spend half the cost of a house on the daughter's wedding, it does.) And so, the decision is made. We give up the bulk of our waking hours with our children, as well as the formation of their minds, philosophies, and attitudes, to strangers. We compensate by getting a boat to take them to the river, a van to carry them to Little League, a 2,800-square-foot house, an ATV, a zero-turn Cub Cadet, and a fund to finance a brand-name college education. And most significantly, we claim "our right" to pursue a career for our own "self-fulfillment." Deep down, however, we know that our generation has eaten its seed corn. We lack the discipline and the vision to deny ourselves in the hope of something enduring and worthy for our posterity. We are tired from working extra jobs, and the looming depression threatens our 401k's. Credit cards are nearly maxed, and it costs a $100 to fuel the Suburban. Now the kid is raising hell again, demanding the latest Play Station as his price for doing his school work ... and there goes that modest young woman in the home-made dress with her four bright-eyed, well-behaved home-schooled children in tow. Wouldn't you just love to wipe that serene look right off her smug face? Is it any wonder we hate her so? Sonny Scott a community columnist, lives on Sparta Road in Chickasaw County and his e-mail address is sonnyscott@yahoo.com. ****************************************************** I responed to Mr. Scott: Dear Mr. Scott, A fellow homeschooling mom shared your article, "Home-schoolers threaten our cultural comfort" from the Daily Journal, on 6/8/08.  A few of the other moms were offended, but I took it as an eye-opener for the family who lives "of the world" instead of FOR their family. I appreciate your view and have been saying the same thing since I began to homeschool.  I get the oddest looks in Wal*Mart at 10am when I have my 2 sons with me.  We have even had to go to the extreme of getting photo ID's to prove that we homeschool! I see my generation as being in the forefront of getting back to family values!  I see us returning to a simpler time in America when God, family & country were important, not a 72" flat screen TV! My family lives on 1 income.  My husband has been at the same job since he graduated in 1986, and 22 years at the same company is nothing to sneeze at! I am very proud of him and honored to be his wife, best friend and mother to his sons.  In turn, he is proud of me and  the work I do in my home with the boys.  We are not perfect, but we are happy and content with the life God has given to us.  We are financially richer than many people across the world, including America! We have a home, food, clothing, transportation and are blessed to have each other.  So I can see why non-homeschoolers hate us.  We truly are happy and content with what we have or don't have, while they can't understand how they are not happy with the $1.2 million house, Hummer, golf club membership, timeshare, full social calendar and more! Anyway, thank you for shedding light on why non-homeschoolers hate us.  I truly appreciate well written articles on homeschooling.  I can see that you really did your research. Good luck! Sincerely, Mrs. Marianne Handlir ********************************************************** Mr. Scott's response: What an encouraging letter! Families like yours are the salt that has not lost its savor. I never intend to offend anyone, but I've found that virtually everything I write gets under someone's skin. Keep up the good work. Cordially, Sonny http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/549562/ Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:24:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/549562/ Who knew you could do this, with duct tape?................................................. My friend, Tracie's son has made it as a finalist in Duck Tape Brand duct tape's Stuck at the Prom Scholarship contest. He can win a $6,000.00 scholarship!  If you'd like to help, click HERE. Here's what Tracie said: You can then click to vote on my son who is # 4180.  It will then open up a box that will say register.  Click on that and fill out the info. It will ask you some silly questions as well.   It is to make sure that only one person votes per email address per day.  You can vote daily.  (it will only ask you to register each email address one time.)  Thanks again!  I really appreciate it! Tracie To cut & paste use: http://www.stuckatprom.com/contests/prom/entries_finalist.asp http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/547412/ Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:56:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/547412/ Since Travis did so well this year, as well as mommy, LOL, we are going to continue HSing throughout the summer to include big brother Vincent who currently attends PS. I am very excited with this venture!  I use to look forward to the summer as a "break", but now have already created lesson plans through the end of August!  Now, I am not talking about 6 hours of hard studying each day, but I am going to review hard areas for Vincent such as Math and organization and Travis has expressed an interest in learning Spanish and cursive writing! So by the end of the summer Vincent should be doing Algebra with his eyes closed and Travis should be able to write Spanish in cursive! HaHa!  Well, I can dream, can't I? We all have high hopes for our children. My parents did for me and their parents did for them.  My mom always said she wanted better for her kids and in many ways we are doing better, some ways not.  But in the important, spiritual ways I am further along then my mother ever was when I was a child.  My boys are being raised in a Christian home.  My husband has a wife who is home and taking care of everything else, so he doesn't have to.  I am happy with my life and joyful knowing that I am doing this for the Lord and I am his chosen one! He has high hopes for us as well.  God wants us all to be happy. Not in a worldy sense, but in a spiritual sense.  Are you?  Are you content with your daily life? Have you told God that?  Are you resigned to the fact that this may be "it" for the next 5, 10, 15 or 20 years?  I am!  Cool!  I can't wait to see what is waiting for me from the Father. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/545130/ Mon, 9 Jun 2008 13:37:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mommymare/545130/