May. 2, 2008 Organizing our books
I never did finish organizing our book collection when we moved into this house, and we have been living with disorderly bookcases since then. Not to mention all the ratty cardboard boxes of books left unpacked. So this week I decided enough was enough and something NEEDS to be done! The first thing I did was buy some nice boxes - 18-gallon Sterlite totes. So far I only have 2, in red and blue. I need to find one of each in green and yellow.
Why the colors? Because Tapestry of Grace is organized by colors. Red is for year 1, yellow for year 2, green for year 3, and blue for year 4. I organized all of our history and historical fiction books into each of the 4 boxes (just using cardboard boxes for year 2 & year 3 for now) and stacked them in the corner. Besides being organized per year, they are also out of reach of little babies who will be crawling in a few short months!
We also study science in 4 year cycles (at least until 7th or 8th grade) as suggested by The Well Trained Mind so I also sorted our science books into 4 milk crates that we already owned - red, yellow, green, and blue! So our year 1 science books (life sciences) are in the red crate, our year 2 science books (earth & space science) are in the yellow crate, etc. It works out perfectly.
We had probably 30 different children's Bibles and Bible storybooks, too, and those are in the boxes to give/sell as well. WHY would I get rid of those? Because I have come to the conclusion that children do not need dumbed down Bible stories or easy to read Bibles. They need the real thing! And they are capable of understanding the real thing if you take time to talk about it.
So now I have 2 big boxes of books and curriculum to sell or give away. Of course the easy thing to do would be to drop everything off at Goodwill or the library. But I would really like to make some money to try to finance at least a small part of next school year's curriculum. I have an eBay account and have sold stuff there before, but it's such a hassle to list everything and then pack it up and mail it. It makes me tired just thinking about it. So I'm thinking about dropping it off at one of those places that sells your stuff for you on eBay. Only I would lose some of my profit ... but it might be worth it! |
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Apr. 26, 2008 Dylan's 8th Grade Science 08/09 Apr. 26, 2008 Jesse's 3rd Grade Science 08/09
This is what Jesse and Emily will be doing for science next school year. Jesse will be in 3rd grade and Emily will be in 1st grade.
Curriculum
- Living Learning Books Level 3 ~ Chemistry
The only thing I will need to order is a copy of student activity pages for Jesse ($8.00), because Emily is not reading/writing well enough to use them, and I already own the Teacher's Manual. Emily can just listen to the readings and participate in the experiments. She can also draw pictures of the experiments and/or give an oral narration of what she learned.
The curriculum and experiments should be plenty for their ages, but if for some reason it's not then I have a list of books from Jessica @ Trivium Academy to supplement with:
Supplementary Reading List from Trivium Academy
Our 3rd Grade Chemistry
We will be using Living Learning Books Chemistry but I've decided to add a few living books and other items.
- How Science Works by Reader's Digest
- Chemistry: Learn about Chemical Elements and Compounds CD(The Science Series)" Twin Sisters Production
- What's Smaller Than a Pygmy Shrew?" Robert E. Wells
- What's the Matter in Mr. Whiskers' Room?" Michael Elsohn Ross
- Great Black Heroes: Five Brilliant Scientists (level 4) (Hello Reader)" Lynda Jones
- The Periodic Table (True Books)" Salvatore Tocci
- What Is the World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2)" Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
- Switch On, Switch Off (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)" Melvin Berger
- The Periodic Table of Elements Magnets" SMART by Simple Memory Art
- The Best Book of Fossils, Rocks, and Minerals (The Best Book of)" Chris Perrault
- Science Verse (Golden Duck Awards. Picture Book (Awards))" Jon Scieszka
- How to Think Like a Scientist: Answering Questions by the Scientific Method" Stephen P. Kramer
- Electric Storm, Magic School Bus Chapter Book
Besides a Periodic Table poster and Atom chart, that will be it for our 3rd grade chemistry.
(Of course after she posted these plans she decided to do something different for her daughter's 3rd grade science!)
Other Possible Supplements
Connecting Color Tiles Periodic Table
http://www.etacuisenaire.com/catalog/product?deptId=&prodId=55694&q=Periodic+Table+tiles
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Apr. 21, 2008 History Plans for 08/09
At this point I plan for us to stick with Tapestry of Grace for our history (and so much more!) indefinitely. Last year we used Mystery of History Volume I and while it was ideal for Dylan, it was boring and not at all challenging for Bill. So we went through the first quarter of the second volume of MOH over the summer, and started TOG Redesigned Year 2 (where MOH Vol. II, Quarter 1 leaves off) in the fall. With the busy year we have had, we are only halfway through, so we will be homeschooling all summer to catch up.
This fall, we will start TOG Redesigned Year 3 - The 19th Century, From Napoleon to Roosevelt. I plan on buying the Bonus Bundle for $295.00 ~
The Bundle: one complete Year-Plan, Map Aids, and reinforced tabs--plus your choice of Writing Aids, a full year of Pop Quizzes, a full year of lapbook kits, or every level of Evaluations. (I plan to order Writing Aids.)
The Bonus: your choice of a Unit 1 Pop Quiz, Unit 1 Lapbook Kit, any one level of Evaluations, or $15 Gift Certificate. (Haven't decided yet ... )
And then we will have to buy and borrow BOOKS! Lots and lots and lots of BOOKS! With 3 levels - lower grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric - that's a lot of books! I'm not sure if this link will work, but I have started a Planning List to help keep track of all the books we will need. What I have listed so far is only a small sampling of all the books we will actually use! Some of the books listed are actually needed this year as well, but we haven't been able to buy them yet. It's very expensive but after years of hopping from one curriculum to another to another ... I truly believe that this is THE curriculum that God desires for our family to use, and for that reason alone it is worth the expense. Not only that, but all of the books we buy now will be used again and again and again as we cycle through this program every four years with our 6 children.
This year we have not done many of the activities that are suggested, due to how busy we have been. Hopefully next year we will be able to do more and I will photo blog much of what we do. The activities all look so fun! |
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Apr. 18, 2008 Bible "Curriculum" ~ Input Requested
We rarely use a formal curriculum for Bible. Mostly we just read the Bible. We talk about God and the Bible and Biblical precepts throughout the day. It's just a part of life.
On top of that, we study history chronologically, with Bible and Church history integrated into the curriculum.
Sometimes we throw in a devotional or study guide. For the elementary years, we use the Calvary Chapel curriculum, which is available online for free ~
Old Testament
New Testament
Jesse and Emily will be going through the New Testament over the next 2 school years. This curriculum uses the NKJV Bible. Now that Jesse is reading well, I will be buying him his own NKJV Bible to use. The one he wants is the NKJV Explorer's Bible for Kids, in yellow imitation leather. (Yellow and orange are his colors.)
I am interested in using Balancing the Sword but at $70/book, it is quite costly. Maybe if I only used it with Dylan? It doesn't look quite challenging enough for Bill. Plus, it involves writing answers, which is something he detests.
Bill has participated in Bible Drill for several years now and he has no plans to stop. I think he enjoys it because it is challenging and he doesn't have to write down the answers. So we will stick with that for him. He has already earned one full Bible credit and he can earn up to another half credit. He can easily earn that through Bible Drill & listening to sermons on CD. I'm thinking a half-credit in theology would also be good for him to earn next year ... any ideas on resources? I don't want it to be strictly one doctrinal viewpoint or another, but obviously it must be CHRISTIAN.
Dylan tries Bible Drill every year but he soon (re-)discovers it is not his learning style and so he quits. We will need to find something else to help him memorize scripture. We do have SanctiFinder to help him memorize the order of the books (if I would ever remember to get it out and use it!) but I also want him to memorize Scripture. We can use his Contenders for the Faith book for Bible passages to memorize, and work from there.
Here are some ideas for memorizing Scripture ~
Scripture Memory System
Family Scripture Memorizing
Am I forgetting any aspect of a well-rounded Bible curriculum? Are there any resources you would recommend?
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Apr. 14, 2008 Let's Start with Preschool
Now I know that formal preschool is not necessary but my little ones always want to "do school" just like their big siblings. And I am the type of person who needs a plan; otherwise, I will not get much of anything done. And sadly, that includes reading good books to my children.
So for Sarah's "schoolwork" next year - or sooner, if I can buy it before then - we will be using the following curriculum & resources. Assuming I don't change my mind between now and then!
Now as I said, there is the chance that I will change my mind. Just this week I discovered this free Bible and Rhyme preschool curriculum at Hubbard's Cupboard. It looks very well put together and chock full of fun activities, songs to sing, books to read, Bible stories to learn, and Bible verses to memorize. And it's free! The downside? All those pages I would have to print out & supplies I would have to gather. That's just too much work for me at this time. But come September? We'll see! |
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Apr. 13, 2008 Planning Next School Year
It's that time of year again; time to plan next school year! And here we are with 17 weeks left in this school year! We had to take several weeks off due to early pregnancy fatigue and nausea, various illnesses, packing and moving, and then having Jacob 5 weeks ago via emergency c-section. This year has been FULL of obstacles! This coming week will be a busy one too, with doctor's appointments and whatnot throughout the week. So it looks like we might not get much done this week, either.
Honestly, I would not be too worried about it if it were not for having a high schooler. But he's gotta earn those credit hours, you know! Most of my planning is centered around him and what he'll be doing. We use the family integrated, trickle-down effect homeschooling method here. So, one day this week I need to put on my guidance counselor hat and sit down and have a good long talk with Bill about his future.
Currently, he is talking about dual-enrolling at the local community college this fall, and then in 2 years transferring to a university with Air Force ROTC. If he does that ... then there won't be much "trickle down" from him after all. Then I will have the freedom to either go on with the plans I already made for next year, OR starting fresh with something new. We will see. But most likely, we will stick to the plan I already have, which I'll be posting in the coming week as I have time. |
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Apr. 11, 2008 Music in our Home/School
I've been wanting to incorporate more music into our homeschooling and our family life. Music really wasn't very important to me growing up; I couldn't carry a note in a bucket and piano lessons were torture for me. (My brothers are a different story.) My husband, on the other hand, is very musically inclined. He's the kind of person who can flip through the radio dial and name every song on every station within the first few notes. He's self-taught on the drums and piano. (He might only know how to play one or two easy songs on the piano, but he taught himself those songs.) He even has a sense of rhythm, which is something I pathetically lack.
And so now we have children; six of them to be exact. The oldest, unfortunately, takes after his mother in the music department. Music is for listening, not for performing. Singing is what other people do. At least, that is how he is now. Never mind that when he was younger & in public school, he was always chosen for the school chorus. Never mind that when he was younger & homeschooled, he had a solo in a homeschool group play, and when the only other child with a solo did not show up on time for one of the performances, he filled in at the last minute and performed perfectly.
Dylan's interest in music is like a pendulum; sometimes he is very interested and sometimes he could care less. He did very, very well, I'm told, in the music appreciation class he took at co-op. He became very interested in music at that time. He wanted to take guitar lessons, so we bought him a guitar and lessons on DVD. I bought him some books and Cd's. I wanted to do more to encourage his love of music, but with little money and little time, there wasn't much more we could do.
Jesse has been wanting to take violin lessons for years. Emily LOVES to sing and she wants to take piano lessons. I want my children to love music and to have an appreciation for it. I want them to have the opportunity to learn to play instruments and to sing in a chorus or a choir if they have that desire. So off with the TV and on to the music ... here are a just few of the many resources for teaching music in the home to various ages:
Beautiful Feet Books History of Classical Music
Pfeiffer House K-6 Music Curriculum
Discoveries in Music
Worship Guitar Class
Piano for Preschoolers
Friendship House Catalog (we have a couple of these books and would love to order the rest of the series)
Wee Sing
The Land of Music
Music Ace
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to incorporating music into your home. I have children to feed so I don't have time to list any more. Please leave me a comment with your favorite resource (especially any I have not listed)! Thanks! |
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Apr. 8, 2008 Not on the Test Apr. 1, 2008 How do you get back to normal?
An excerpt from a recent post at my other blog ...
I am not sure what steps to take from there. Getting up at a decent time will be a major accomplishment. I want to know how other homeschooling moms can have a baby and just get right back into their regular routines within a couple weeks as if nothing major had taken place recently. I figure it will be at least another month before I even attempt to start up our homeschooling again. By then it will be time for summer vacation. I wonder if our umbrella school will let us count 18 weeks of schooling as a full 36 week school year?
So, MOMYS, please share ... how long does it take you to get back into routine after you have a baby? How long before you get back into your full homeschooling routine? What are your first steps for resuming life as normal?
I don't know if it's because I had a c-section this time or if having #6 is a hard one (like having #3), or if it's because now for the first time ever I have 4 children 8 & under ... but this time around has been more difficult than with previous babies. And Jacob's a pretty laid back little boy, so it's not him! |
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Mar. 11, 2008 Jacob's Birth Announcement Feb. 22, 2008 Recommendations, Please?
| I know it's kind of premature but I'm a planner, what can I say? Between my pregnancy and moving and a host of other issues that have come up this year, I have not done much Kindergarten with Emily at all. Very, very little phonics and just a little math ... mostly just reading books and the occasional arts and crafts. We do Bible, history, and science as a family (more or less) so I am trying to decide what get for her for 1st grade for phonics/language arts and math. She is not one to pick up on new concepts easily at all ... as much as I hate it I think we will have to drill, drill, drill. She does better with manipulatives than with workbooks, but she LOVES workbooks! And I am the kind of person who needs SIMPLE yet structured, organized lesson plans or it just won't get done. (For example, we have had Spelling Power for 2 years now but haven't even started because the teacher's instructions are so long and complex!) What will accommodate her learning style AND my teaching style? Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any help! |
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Feb. 8, 2008 Geology Unit Study
This is a rough draft of what we are doing for science over the next four weeks. It's not a lot but we have a baby due in a month so we are taking it easy. In fact, science this whole school year has been pretty relaxed. We just read out loud, discuss, and do a project or experiment here and there.
Geology Unit Study Schedule (4 Weeks)
Bill & Dylan ~ Main Text: The Geology Book by Dr. John D. Morris, with Study Guide (www.nlpg.com/store/images/studyguides/GeologyBook.pdf)
Bill ~ Additional Reading: The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology, by Simon Winchester
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Bill & Dylan
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Jesse & Emily
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Week 1
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Monday
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Introduction
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~
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Tuesday
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Chapter 1 ~ Planet Earth
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The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth, by Joanna Cole
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Wednesday
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Chapter 2 ~ The Ground We Stand Upon ~ Igneous Rocks
- sort and classify igneous rocks from our collection
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~
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Thursday
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Chapter 2 ~ The Ground We Stand Upon ~ Sedimentary Rocks
- sort and classify sedimentary rocks from our collection
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Dig It! How to Collect Rocks and Fossils (Reader's Digest)
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Friday
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Chapter 2 ~ The Ground We Stand Upon ~ Metamorphic Rocks
- sort and classify metamorphic rocks from our collection
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~
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Week 2
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Monday
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Chapter 3 ~ The Earth's Surface ~ Plains & Plateaus
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~
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Tuesday
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Chapter 3 ~ The Earth's Surface ~ Mountains
- Create a "mountain" and an "earthquake"
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Earthquakes, by Seymour Simon
- Create a "mountain" and an "earthquake"
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Wednesday
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Chapter 3 ~ The Earth's Surface ~ Erosional Features
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Thursday
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Chapter 4 ~ Geological Processes and Rates ~ Erosion
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Erosion: Changing Earth's Surface, by Robin Michal Koontz
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Friday
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Chapter 4 ~ Geological Processes and Rates ~ Deposition
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~
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Week 3
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Monday
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Chapter 4 ~ Geological Processes and Rates ~ Sediments Become Sedimentary Rock
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~
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Tuesday
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Chapter 4 ~ Geological Processes and Rates ~ Fossilization
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Fossils Tell of Long Ago, by Aliki
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Wednesday
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Chapter 4 ~ Geological Processes and Rates ~ Volcanism, The Deformation of Rocks
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Volcanoes: Mountains That Blow Their Tops, by Nicholas Nirgiotis
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Thursday
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Chapter 4 ~ Geological Processes and Rates ~ Were the Continents Once Connected?, Metamorphism of Rocks, Radioisotope Decay
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Friday
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Chapter 5 ~ Ways to Date the Entire Earth
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Week 4
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Monday
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Chapter 6 ~ Great Geologic Events of the Past ~ Creation, The Fall
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Tuesday
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Chapter 6 ~ Great Geologic Events of the Past ~ The Flood
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Planet Earth/Inside Out, by Gail Gibbons (for review)
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Wednesday
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Chapter 6 ~ Great Geologic Events of the Past ~ The Ice Age
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Thursday
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Chapter 7 ~ Questions People Ask
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I Can Be A Geologist, by Paul P. Sipiera
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Friday
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Chapter 8 ~ The Future Earth
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Feb. 8, 2008 Things to do before Jacob is born ...
Cross-posted from our family blog:
Misc.
- GET THE CAMERA REPAIRED!!!
Baby Stuff
Homeschooling
- Work on completing weekly lesson plans, creating/printing worksheets, etc. for remainder of school year ~ almost done!
- Weed out and organize homeschooling books and materials
- List books and homeschool curriculum on eBay
- Order a bunch of books we need for homeschooling
- Return library books
- Put together Bill & Dylan's 1st semester portfolios and mail them to the umbrella school!
Housekeeping
- Prepare and freeze at least 2 weeks worth of dinners ~ try for 6 weeks
- Complete menu plans and master grocery list
- Teach Dylan and Jesse how to cook more foods ~ let's just say I'm trying
- Work on home management binder ~ almost done!
- Get bills & receipts & other paperwork organized ~ almost done!
Wash cloth diapers & any clothes, bedding, etc. Jacob receives
- Organize laundry area ~ need new hampers, rod for hanging shirts (I like to hang them straight from the dryer), line to dry diaper covers
- Clean and organize the rest of the garage with the boys' help ~ mostly tools and sports equipment
- Take a bunch of stuff to Goodwill ~ about halfway done
Clean and organize kitchen ~ especially "pantry" area and under sink ~ need to buy another shelving unit for "pantry" and move mini-freezer into garage
Clean and organize the playroom/patio and the kids' bedrooms ~ Thanks Mom for helping out; now we just have to KEEP it clean!
Health Care
- Go to a chiropractor
- Schedule dentist appointments for all the kids
- Schedule eye exams for Jesse & Emily
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Jan. 25, 2008 Math Trouble
Math is not my favorite subject to teach. You could say teaching math is the bane of my existence - no wait, that would be paperwork and record-keeping. Math is close, though. It's right up there. With Emily in Kindergarten, I now have 4 math students. Bill can do his math on his own, but convincing him to actually do it is the hard part. Jesse is great at math and understands new concepts very easily, but just like Bill, convincing him to actually do his math is the hard part.
Then there is Dylan and Emily. Convincing them to do their math is not the hard part. Trying not to have a nervous breakdown while teaching them math skills - now that's the hard part. I went into my bedroom and CRIED after Emily's math lesson today. I cried. It is just too stressful. Of course I try not to let her see how stressed out I get over her lack of comprehension and retention, but after trying to explain the concept of adding 0 to another number for well over 5 minutes - and that was just today and that is just one example of several math comprehension problems we encountered today - oh, and I've been trying to teach her this concept and all the others for about 6 months now - I can get pretty irritable.
Dylan has always had bad math comprehension skills as well, and I have never found a curriculum that works well for him. So he just trudges along, day after day, year after year, forgetting almost everything he's ever learned over the 3rd grade level. Actually, he wasn't bad at math until he got to long division. It's been all downhill from there. Thank God for the invention of calculators and computer programs.
But Emily .... she is just not getting ANYTHING past 2 +2, and that is only because she has it memorized. She does a tiny bit better when we use manipulatives, but transferring that over to written work (which she LOVES to do!!!) is another story. And retaining what she's learned? Hasn't happened yet. So how can you teach a child who just does not get it?
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That is how old I will be when Jacob graduates from homeschool. Bill just walked in here and reminded me that I will probably be a grandma by then. Need I remind him that he will be my current age that same year?
Grade Chart
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Bill
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Dylan
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Jesse
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Emily
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Sarah
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Jacob
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2007-2008
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10
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7
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2
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K
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2008-2009
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11
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8
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3
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1
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2009-2010
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12
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9
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4
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2
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2010-2011
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10
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5
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3
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K
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2011-2012
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11
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6
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4
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1
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2012-2013
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12
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7
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5
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2
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2013-2014
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|
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8
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6
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3
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K
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2014-2015
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9
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7
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4
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1
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2015-2016
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10
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8
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5
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2
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2016-2017
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11
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9
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6
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3
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2017-2018
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12
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10
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7
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4
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2018-2019
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11
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8
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5
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2019-2020
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12
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9
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6
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2020-2021
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10
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7
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2021-2022
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11
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8
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2022-2023
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12
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9
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2023-2024
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10
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2024-2025
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11
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2025-2026
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12
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Don't forget to visit us at our new family blog ~ Under the Monkey Bars |
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Jan. 23, 2008 Anybody out there?
| I haven't heard from many of my HSB friends since I moved my blog ~ I want to continue hearing from all of you! Please come visit our family blog at Under the Monkey Bars! I am slowly but surely transferring posts over there and I am considering keeping this one as a "homeschool showcase" sort of blog ~ like an online portfolio ~ which was my original intent in the first place. |
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Dec. 8, 2007 Concussion!!! - UPDATED
I know I said I wasn't going to blog for a while but I wanted to pop in here real quick and ask anybody who happens to read this to pray for my little Sarah!
This afternoon, she and Emily were playing outside when the neighbor came over to welcome us to the neighborhood and introduce herself. (More about that in a minute.) I had my back turned to the girls, and I turned around just in time to see Emily running down the sidewalk, carrying Sarah in her arms, and just as I was about to yell at her to STOP!!! she tripped and fell forward - and then there was a loud THUNK! as Sarah's head hit the sidewalk.
She has slept on and off for the rest of the day, and she's thrown up once. Other than that she seems okay (pupils the same size, etc.). I think every one of my kids has had at least one minor concussion, so I guess it was only a matter of time before Sarah got one. But I know this is something we need to watch her for over the next few days. So if you will, just pray that she is okay with no lasting effects!
Now about the neighbor ... it's really funny because this house happens to be on the same street where some friends of mine from youth group had lived - the "P's".Last week, I was reading the local paper and just happened to notice that in one of the "New Members" photos for one of the local churches, was the P's cousin. Different last name now but I remembered her first name and her face ... even though I never knew her. I'm just good with names and faces like that for some reason. So ... as it turns out she is my next door neighbor! How odd is that? I'm sure she thought *I* was odd for recognizing her so quickly when we'd never even met before! LOL
UPDATE: Sarah appears to be much better this morning, aside from having a headache and the fact that she has absolutely NO recollection of what happened. I've asked her several times how she hurt her head. Her reply is always the same ... "on the sofa" ... she did bump it on the back of the sofa yesterday morning! But she does not remember what happened outside.
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Nov. 6, 2007 Packing This Week
I made a list of what I intend to get packed this week, and thought I would post it here for all the world to see for the extra motivation that would give me.
Monday & Tuesday
Finish sorting and packing all books, homeschool materials, and all paperwork. This is probably the biggest job I have to do in all of our packing, so it will probably end up taking all week but I hope to finish today.
I bought one basket for each child's homeschooling books and materials, and one for teacher books; and I already have a file basket for weekly files. These will stay out & go with us if we have to stay someplace temporarily.
Wednesday
Take down all decorative accessories and pack.
Take down pot rack; pack infrequently used pots & pans, bake ware, and other kitchen items.
Thursday
No packing unless it is finishing up books/paperwork ... use today to work on homeschool prep & record keeping, paying the bills, making menu plan & grocery list, etc.
Friday & Saturday
Buy storage box for each person in family; pack bare essentials in each box (to keep out and then take with us if we have to live someplace temporarily); clean & pack everything else in bedrooms for storage/moving.
There will not be much left to pack after that. This is the last week of high school football so next week *hopefully* Billy will borrow our friends' van to haul some junk to the dump and to put a bunch of our boxes and stuff into storage. I also want to try to sell our sofa & love seat, our home gym, and our elliptical machine, or at least find someone to give them to.
I have not been nervous *at all* about finding a place to live until now. It's getting very close and still nothing. Billy's employment situation is not helping matters. He is working 6 days/week so it's not like it is he is being lazy and not providing for his family - he is doing his best. We have just had one bad thing after another happen to us over the past couple of years ... I could go on and on about his business partner and what he's done but that would not be a prudent thing to do on the www so I won't.
There is also the way the economy is going right now ... we sailed right through the last "big" recession without a care in the world but this time we are not so blessed. So we need all the prayer we can get for a better job ASAP, a decent place to live ASAP ... and if Billy and his brother get that OTR job, we will need a good laptop ASAP so he can continue taking his college courses online.
It is extremely important that he continues with college ... we know the restaurant industry is definitely not where God wants him, we know the trucking industry is not where God wants him (though there seems to be a little more blessing for us there than the restaurant industry) ... and we know that college IS where God wants him right now. But how can a man support a large family and just go to college full time without the wife having to leave her home and children to get a full time job? This has been our problem for the last 6 years. This is why Billy got into business with his friend in the first place ... but it just hasn't worked out.
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That's what my OB appointment was today.
The only thing I learned is that everybody who thought I was carrying twins was WRONG! LOL
Just one ... but the little babe was squirming around so much they could not get a good view. So ... we still don't know if it's a boy or a girl.
I do go back in 2 more weeks for an additional ultrasound. This one was just a quickie to check fluid levels and stuff. All looks good there. Baby measured between 20 & 21 weeks according to the ultrasound, but it's fundal height was 22 weeks.
My weight is already up to 135 (from 118) and my blood pressure was 100/60.
Had the oh-so-fun PAP, and all of the blood work except the genetic stuff, Down's Syndrome, etc. which I won't have done at all.
So I will post a pregnancy update again in 2 weeks after the next ultrasound - HOPEFULLY with the baby's gender!
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Nov. 4, 2007 Homemade Christmas
So despite all the chaos happening right now, I've decided I want to make some gifts this year ... even if that just means assembling store-bought items in a basket and calling it a homemade gift basket. Hey, it's the thought that counts, right?
Since Dylan was a baby we have done the "3 gifts" things that I'm sure most people have heard of. I think I may have posted about it last year. So 3 gifts x 5 kids = 15 gifts.
And so far I have thought of *one* that I will make for sure.
Emily has an Easy Bake Oven that she loves (and yes, it's the one that was recalled, but she knows better than to stick her hand in there so I'm not exactly worried about it), but the mixes that go with it cost about $5-6 each and only make the tiniest little snack. Plus they are not exactly nutritious. So I am going to assemble a bunch of mixes myself from recipes I've found online (modified to be more nutritious), make a little cookbook of the recipes, maybe add a set of Easy Bake tools, and arrange it all in a basket and wrap it in colored cellophane w/ a ribbon. I *know* she will just love it.
I'm getting some ideas for Bill, but obviously I can't post them here because he reads my blog. But I *will* say I'm thinking of something related to survivalism / self-sufficiency / homesteading. You can see why by reading here. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated and you can email them to me at the address on the sidebar. (BTW, you can read his Vision Forum wish list here.)
For Dylan I'm thinking of going to Sam's Club and buying a huge box of paper and a huge box of pens. Should last him about a month.
Not really sure about Jesse & Sarah, but probably art supplies. Actually I'm sure they'd all like art supplies except maybe Bill. So that should be easy. And they would probably all like cooking supplies and food gifts.
So if anybody has any good links or ideas for homemade gifts or gift-basket ideas, PLEASE leave a comment or email me! Thanks!
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So the people the Realtor told could just come right on over - regardless of the fact that I told her Saturday morning was NOT a good time as we were having a garage sale and I'd had sick kids all week and was packing all week so the house was not up to par - came Saturday morning anyway and apparently they liked the house well enough that they showed up again unannounced this morning as I was leaving for church.
It's not their fault, it's the Realtor's. Obviously she doesn't know how to do her job.
I told the Realtor they came with, that it was NOT a good time because Jesse was throwing up all night and our house reeked of vomit, and Billy stayed up all night with him and had just gotten up out of bed and wasn't even dressed yet. I explained to him that our Realtor never even called to see if 9:30 Sunday morning was okay with us. They all seemed to take it okay but obviously they were disappointed.
But apparently these people want to buy our house. I just can't believe this - when we sold our first house we had it on the market for *11 months* before we got an offer. And here the very first people who see it, want to buy it?
They are coming over again at 9:30 tomorrow morning (with my permission) to see the house a 2nd time. If this goes through we will close sometime between Thanksgiving and Dec. 1. Would anybody like to host us for Thanksgiving?  I certainly won't be cooking a big meal this year!
Again, we *really* need prayer for finding a place to live by then and for Billy to find a better paying (and closer to home) job.
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Nov. 2, 2007 Time to buy more shampoo
When we moved into this house I said that if we ever moved again, I was just going to sell EVERYTHING except the bare essentials and just start from scratch.
Now I remember why.
And I'm seriously considering doing just that.
If you were to start from scratch, what would your bare essentials be? I'd honestly love to know because I am composing a list. I think if I were single and childless I would be totally minimalist. Too hard to do with a husband and a handful of kids, but I would like to get close.
So, after spending all week packing boxes - which at this point involves lots of sorting and purging and organizing and washing and air-drying so everything is nice and clean and organized when we unpack - AND dealing with all the catastrophes of the week (see previous post which I am too tired to link to right now) AND getting ready for our garage sale tomorrow AND trying to homeschool through it all (ha!) ... the Realtor stopped by out of the blue this evening and said someone will be here at 9:30AM.
I'm like, do you SEE what my house looks like right now?
But she would not reschedule the appointment so after finishing getting all the stuff into the garage I got to work cleaning the house.
It's 10:30PM and I'm only halfway done.
Jesse decided he would help by mopping his bathroom floor.
I went to check later how he did ... and it turns out he used SHAMPOO to mop the floor.
And apparently he used a lot.
In other news, my fridge & freezer suddenly decided to start working again. This after we started using the freezer as a refrigerator. Billy had a couple bottles of beer in there ... and they of course bubbled over and leaked onto someone's half-eaten, half-melted bowl of ice cream.
Which I decided to finish not knowing it would taste like beer.
I did not finish it after all.
We *really* need to start looking seriously at rental homes. I found 2 this week that I like and I inquired about them but have not heard back yet.
One is a 4bed/2bath former model home with all kinds of bells and whistles included. It even has nice designer interior paint which is a big plus for me. (I'm sure I've mentioned my disdain for builder-white walls.) BUT it is in a subdivision (the one across the street from where we live now) and I really don't want to live in a subdivision ever again if we can help it. Of course I will take living in a subdivision over being homeless any day, so I won't complain.
Not too much, anyway. (ETA: apparently this one got snatched up within 30 seconds of being on the market!)
The other is a mobile home on 3/5th an acre. That might not sound like much to some of you, but to us that's a pretty big yard. AND it's all fenced in. The home has 4 bedrooms with an office that can be used as a 5th. It was even advertised as being perfect for a large family! This is the one I'm hoping to get.
Billy does not want to live in a mobile home, though. Growing up in one, I think he equates them to living in poverty. I can certainly understand that because I used to feel the same way, but now I'm like, GET OVER IT! I mean, who really cares if it's a mobile home or a cement block house? It does not matter to me. And I want a big fenced in yard so the kids can play!
So if you would, I have 2 things we *really* need prayer for - *1* is getting into a new home by the end of the month, and *2* is that Billy gets a different job ASAP!!! The gas and tolls to South Tampa are killing our budget! Billy has applied for some great jobs but nothing has come through for him yet. It's getting very frustrating.
Oh, and I guess I should update on Emily ... she was up several times last night vomiting but today was feeling better. Not completely herself again - still not wanting ice cream, not wanting to do much but lay under her blanket watching TV - but definitely better than last night. She did help me with cleaning and packing so that was a good sign.
And I have not gotten sick, which I am very glad for. I have never vomited while pregnant and quite frankly that is not something I wish to ever experience.
Well ... time to get busy cleaning and then to bed, and up early tomorrow for the garage sale!
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Nov. 1, 2007 You can start feeling sorry for me now
It started out with Sarah feeling yucky Monday morning.
She vomited the rest of the day, and had diarrhea Tuesday & Wednesday.
Tuesday morning I turned on the "Insinkerator" only to hear a horrible crunching noise. Reaching in there (after I tuned it off, of course) I found my smallest glass measuring cup (just a little bigger than a shot glass) ... or what was left of it. I got *most* of it out. But something must be stuck because now it will not turn on and the sink keeps getting backed up.
It is not pretty.
Wednesday was Dylan's birthday and all was well with the world besides Sarah's upset tummy & diarrhea..
And the fact that our refrigerator decided to stop working AGAIN and we had to throw out a ton of food.
And all the trick-or-treaters who continued ringing the doorbell WAY after we ran out of candy, even though we decided at that point to turn out the lights.
Thursday morning there were several police cars in our neighborhood investigating all of the vandalism from the trick-or-treaters.
Thursday afternoon AFTER I went grocery shopping, the freezer decided it was going to stop working, too.
I had bought 2 1/2-gallon containers of ice cream along with frozen meat, frozen veggies, frozen juice, frozen pizza ...
I knew Emily wasn't feeling well when she didn't ask for ice cream *instead of* dinner.
When I tucked her into bed, I prayed that God would heal her tummy but that if she *had* to get sick, that it would pass quickly.
She immediately threw up.
All over MY bedroom and bathroom floors.
My legs hurt terribly because I have this huge psoriasis crack on my right heel that just won't heal and I have to walk all crooked.
And now my I've got an upset stomach, too.
Are you tired of my whining yet? Okay, fine, I'm done. But if anything bad happens tomorrow, there *will* be a pity party at my house.
Complete with half-melted ice cream.
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Oct. 31, 2007 Happy Birthday Dylan
Dylan is 13 today.
He decided to be born a week earlier than his due date, making him a "Halloween" baby.
I say he was a REFORMATION DAY baby and that is a sign of his calling from God.
We might not see much in him now, but the LORD has spoken to me more about Dylan than all of my other children combined. Here is the verse He gave me for Dylan, for hope:
Psalm 1
BOOK I : Psalms 1-41
1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Happy birthday, son!
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