I actually have a lot of supportive people here about me homeschooling.  They say, "Oh you would do a great job with that."  But  it is those very few people who question me about it that makes me feel like a failure even before I begin.

Granted, I am scared!  This is a huge committment!  Will I actually be able to do this?  Why is it that I can have 10 people saying ,"oh you would be great" and 1 person be hesitant and ask "Are you sure you want to do this?" and it makes me feel like I'm incompetant?

My kids HATE Mother's Day out (MDO).  They have a really good teacher, so I don't know why they hate it so much.  My plan now is to let them finish up this year, not enroll them into summer, then let them deschool for a few months and then jump full force into Kindergarten in the Fall.

I need some helpful tips on how to make my first year a success.

What keeps you motivitated?  How did you get past all those doubting people?

Good morning!

Today is the day to ACCOMPLISH!  That is my keyword for this year!  So I'm running my 2nd load of laundry and I actually made my bed.  Why make a bed when you are just going to get in it in a few short hours?  Ok well I had an ulterior motive.

I am a scrapbooker!  I'm not as obsessed as I used to be, but it still hits me everynow and then.  I'm guilty!  I saw some really cute scrapbook paper in my local scrapbook store of three little monkeys.  Oh my goodness...I had to stage a picture!  Do any of you do this?  So I took some cute pictures of my three little monkeys jumping on my bed.

It was so funny!  Our conversations were completely opposite of what they would be like normally.

Me: Ok kids I normally don't let you do this, but I need your help.  I need to get a few pictures.  I need you to jump on my bed.

Mason: Jump on your bed?  I think I'll just sit on the bed and you can take a picture.

Me: No really Mason, I need you to jump on the bed.

Kids: ok...(few minutes pass) can we go now?

Me: Just one more picture please.  I need all 3 of you to be jumping.

Well thanks to DanielleW I am using the Google Reader to read updated blogs.  I have attempted to put ALL those participating in Blogger Friend School into this.  I'm not sure if I got everyone.  Where is there a list of everyone participating?  Of course some of you do not have your RSS turned on, which makes it difficult to read your blogs.

So all day yesterday and today I have spent reading and scanning many of your blogs.  Since I'm trying to get caught up, I didn't comment on anyones blog.  But wow all of you are fantastic people!  I especially liked seeing the pictures of your homeschooling endevours.  I loved the tips I read on homeschooling, saving money, etc.  Once I get caught up I'll start posting in your comments to let you know I've visited.

This also makes me more excited about updating my own blog.

Hope to see your blog soon!  Chelle

Blogger Friend School Assignment:

Post to your blog your family's menu for 1 week.  Include Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks!

**Extra Credit:  Post a month's worth :)

Hmm...I usually only plan for dinner then eat leftovers for lunch, except on Saturday and Sunday.

Tuesday- Family night at Chick-Fil-A ------ 99c Kid's meals

Wednesday- Oven baked Chicken Fingers, Celery with peanut butter and french fries

Thursday- Chicken in potato baskets and salad

Friday- Tacos

Saturday- L: Paninis D: Stuffed Shells/ Salad

Sunday- L: eat out  D:potluck at Small group make brownies

Monday- Chicken Fajitas, corn and rice

Tuesday- Family night at Chick-Fil-A

Wednesday- Oven baked chicken croquettes, green beans, corn bread

Thursday- Steak, sweet potato casserole, steamed broccoli

Friday- mesquite chicken on salad

Saturday- L: Birthday party at Chuck E Cheese  D: Spaghetti and meatballs

Sunday- L: eat out D: potluck at small group

Monday- Creamy chicken and shells, peas and bread

Tuesday- Chick-Fil-a

Wednesday- Tacos

Thursday- French Dip

Friday- Poppyseed chicken and green beans

Saturday- L:  Panini D:Roast, mashed potatoes, corn on cob and steamed broccoli

Sunday- L: Eat out  D: potluck at Small group

I'm back and I need to get used to this new format.  I'm going to have to look around and see what all I can do.

I had a fabulous Christmas!  How about you?

I have come up with some resolutions or what I call new beginnings.  Do you have any you want to share?

My new beginnings...

1. is to stay on budget all year long and to actually have some money in the bank at the end of the year.

2. Start homeschooling Kindergarten in the Fall.

3. Learn more about God and Jesus. Start by reading one of Lee Strobel's books.

4. I can see myself having a hard time with this one, but I would like to start having a menu for each month and some kind of prepared schedule for the kids.

5. Scrapbook 100 pages this year.

Don't give up on me...I'm coming back in January.  In the mean time check out my family blog.  I've been having super fun!  Check out the things that I made for Christmas.

http://tripletsrajoy.blogspot.com/

Fun times here!

Thanksgiving was wonderful!  I feel so blessed to have friends who will invite you over on what I've always believed to be a Family holiday.  I always get a little disappointed around Thanksgiving because we live so far away from our families and it just costs too much money to travel to see them.

But this year was so nice.  I brought the ham, I actually got 2 requests for the recipe.  In which made me laugh laugh laugh- because I just bought it at Aldi and followed the directions.

This is a very busy month.  I'm busy making Christmas presents and just trying to deal with everyday living.  I love my children, but wow my daughter is a pistol!

I got a good Christmas picture.  I need to go get them printed into Christmas cards now.  Hey if you want to exchange Christmas cards with me, email me your address and I'll email you mine.  eskimokisses@bellsouth.net  I love exchanging cards- I keep mine up all year round in the Kitchen.

Have a wonderful Christmas Season!  I'll probably be scarce this month.

I have been bouncing emails and I didn't know their was another Blogger Friend Assignment.  I thought Tamara must be still be really sick not to post an assignment.  Well then I'll have to get right on it.  But not tonight because it's way too late to do real thinking.

I need some help please.

I was randomly reading blogs and I read where someone gives their children 3 gifts for Christmas, because of the three gifts Jesus received at his birth.  Now this is not a new concept that I have heard.  But the blog went into detail of what each gift meant and maybe what each would be today.

Like?????  something to read or educational and something to wear and something that is wanted.

Does this ring a bell?

Maybe you have seen it too and can direct me there OR maybe you have your own thoughts (I know there are several interpretations).  Drop me a comment.

Today I was getting the kids ready for Mother's Day Out (MDO).  And Austin looked at me and said, "We NEED to have school!  We haven't had school in a long time.  We have to have it EVERYDAY."

Needless to say I haven't been getting out the little curriculum I have.  But I said, "Austin, I read you 2 books yesterday and you even read a book to me. And that is part of having school."

He wasn't convinced he was having school.  I think he just wants to learn some more Chinese.  I have to admit, I got really discouraged when we went to the Chinese resteraunt on Sunday and had them pronounce some of the words I've been teaching.  I was following the pronunciation guide, but apparantly there are more exceptions that I don't know.  I don't know if I should be the one teaching Chinese.  He still begs me to take him to Chinese school.  I just have to find one here and sign him up.

We have been playing in the leaves this week and running in the park.  We have fed and chased the ducks, climbed a tree and just had fun.

Thanks for all the encouragement!  I am feeling better.  I joined www.MTHEA.org and it is supposed to have all the groups in the area listed.  Since I've joined I haven't had a chance to really dig into the website yet.

I had one person who really helped me a lot!  She even invited me to join their group.  I would like to, but it is kind of far away.  I'm going to check out more of the local groups first.

Wow- I have been busy with Halloween and various parties that I don't even know what this weeks assignment is.  You know the good thing about homeschooling is that you can do your assignments on your own time schedule.  So let me go take a look at what the assignment is.

Our assignment this week, is to blog about "Getting into the Spirit".  I would like everyone to cover 3 areas in their posts:

1. Share your family traditions for Christmas and/or Advent
   
2. List 10 ways that you can prepare for the season
3. Post a scripture that will help you "Get into the Spirit

1.  Well we didn't really have any "traditions".  When we were younger we would go to Grandma's resteraunt.  I remember playing Galaxy over and over again.  Also, Grandma Curly and Grandpa would come over the night before and bring presents for us to open.

2.  10 ways to prepare:

        a. buy or make an advent calender

        b. Figure out presents to make instead of buy- I sure wish I could make a set of tires for hubbys car.

        c. get the camera fixed

        d.  Write thoughtful notes for Thanksgiving and mail them

        e.  stick to budget

        f.  read Thanksgiving books to the kids

        g.  Pray

        h.  well put the Halloween stuff away for starters and then pull out the Thanksgiving decorations and DECORATE.

        i.  hmmmm...maybe I'll make some salt dough and have the kids make and paint their own ornaments this year. (get a few christmas cookie cutters)

        j.  make bread for for kids' teachers (MDO)

3.  "I can do all things through Christ who strenghthens me." Phillipians 4:13 (I think) 

or "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord"  Joshua 24:15

Have a blessed day!  And thanks again to thouse who prayed for me.

I'm frustrated today!

If I wasn't so committed to homeschooling I would give up.  I need someone to walk me through the steps of getting set up.  I've read a book on homeschooling, I've tried to research as much as time allows on the internet.  I guess I am just not finding the things I need to be finding.

What I want is a local co-op group.  How do I find one?  I'm not so concerned about which CRS to pick yet, I'm sure that will come soon enough.  I'm tired today and I feel like I keep coming up with dead ends.

I could really use some encouragement today!

  Thank you Danielle for resizing my picture.  Until we carve pumpkins, this is now my homework for assignment #4.  I'm sure Photoshop can resize pictures, but I'm going to have to learn how to do it.  Anyone have Photoshop?

Ok I'm not counting this as my friend assignment #4, but these are my punkins!  Can someone tell me how to get a small picture on my blog?  This picture was huge and I had to drag the arrows to make it smaller and I think it distorted the picture some.

I know it is not so important now, but I am really having a hard time keeping a schedule to teach the kids.  The other night I was excited about teaching them the next day.  I stayed up until 2AM just getting things together, making puzzles, printing worksheets, etc.  Then the next day nothing went as planned.  Now to have 1 or 2 days like this, sure no big deal.  But it seems as though this is a lifestyle for me.  How do I stay disciplined?  How do I get my children to sit still and listen?  Does anyone have any tricks on how to get pre-schoolers to do things?  I feel that their playing is exactly what they should be doing at this age, so that is why I don't force them to do an assignment.  I guess I am just discouraged thinking I might not be doing the right thing.  And I need to know how to change things for next year when it really will matter.

I am a little nervous that I am starting them too soon as well.  My husband and the kids pediatrician really think they should be in Kindergarten next year.  They are smart children.  They turn 5 in July 2007.  I would love to know what others think and also get some support on how others started teaching their Kindergarteners.

***Pam please forgive me for copying your blog, but you say it perfect and I'm doing the same thing.***

This is my third assignment with Blogger Friend School.  I will be caught up with the class after this one.  However, I think this one will take the longest.  This is a lot of websites to share.  When this assignment is finished I will visit my classmate's blogs and see what they have to share. 



~A website that you visit everyday -   My Family Blog
~First place you look for a book to buy - Any bookstore
~Favorite Homeschool Support Area - I guess it would be my Kindergarten_at_home group.
~Homeschool site full of information that you use regularly - www.letteroftheweek.com

I am working on the second assignment in Blogger Friends School.  This assignment involves my using each letter of the alphabet to describe things that are important to me or describe my personality.  I wonder if I can do it..............Let's find out................  (I copied this paragraph from Hunter Happenings.  I tried to change the color at least, but it wouldn't let me.)

A:  Ashley (dd)

B:  Bible

C:  Camera

D: "Daddy" (dh)

E:  Eating

F:  Family

G:  God

H:  Home

I:  Ice Cream

J:  Jesus

K:  Kingdom

L:  Loyal

M: Mason (ds)

N:  Nice

O: "O"stin (aka Austin who insists his name starts with an "O")

P: Patient

Q: Quilt (made my first and last quilt a few months ago)

R:  Rest (important to me when I get it.)

S: SCRAPBOOKER

T:  Teacher

U:  Understanding

V:  Vows

W: Wedding

X: X-rated (let's just say I have a good marriage.)

Y:  Young (at heart)

Z:  "Zippity Do Dah, Zippity ay" (I love to sing)