http://jacobshomeschool.tripod.com/id33.html
http://rachieshomeschool.tripod.com/id37.html
Zach's been having a blast in ski club... Rachael is playing guitar like a champ, Jacob is like a little mad-scientist, it's scary how smart that kid is LOL...I had a house full of teenagers this weekend, had to order pizzas for all those hungry teenagers LOL...hmmm what else is new? lol my house is usually packed with the best of the best...these kids my kids are friends with are sweet, kind, polite, (they clean their dishes!!), and respect my children and my home. Who could ask for more?
I'm so glad 2008 is behind us, and I'm really looking forward to the changes 2009 will bring, as the kids are getting older and wanting to try new things, so it's exciting as a mother to witness this in my children in real-time. I thank God every day that I get to be the mother to them that I've always wanted to be. I love the fact that my children are involved in wholesome activities, not out drinking and doing drugs. Some acquaintances of mine whose children are public schooled (and in PRIVATE SCHOOL!!!) are dealing with those issues. My oldest is in high school, but he wants to be homeschooled again next year. He told me, "Mom I am not missing out on anything good by being homeschooled, I am only missing out on the bad stuff by being homeschooled"...I'm glad he got the chance to see both sides and now he knows that the grass is not greener on the other side of the public school fence lol...I really believe were it not for ski club (which I paid 350 bucks for ), he'd be homeschooled again now. I told him I'd pull him out once ski club is finished but he said he's gonna stick it out the rest of the year.
No such thing!! ??? lol
Well the quarterly reports were sent but I did not post the link?? what the ?? Am I SLIPPING??
http://rachieshomeschool.tripod.com/id36.html
http://jacobshomeschool.tripod.com/id32.html
It's 4:38am and I am awake since the teenagers finally went to sleep. We had a snowday yesterday so naturally my house was full with the sounds of teenagers running to and fro, in and out, eating and drinking, YouTubing and playing loud music. I guess the only reason why I wasn't really annoyed is because I can actually still remember what it was like to be their age haha...how cool am I?? haha
because I cannot and would not want to imagine my life without mine! heheheh omg my son just scared the bejesus out of my daughter it was hilarious...she got him back pretty good I'd say...yeah yeah yeah they should be in bed right now..well Jacob is, he puts himself to bed by 8pm every night...but the older two are discussing System of a Down and Disturbed...which is kind of disturbing to me haha...anyway my Rachie is playing guitar awesome and she is sooo talented!!! Everyone should have a daughter like her and sons like mine! yay for me!! haha
Slideshow of these Indian Ladder Farm Pics <-- click on this link to see more of these pics :)
Its tradition at this point...gotta take that yearly pic in front of the pink leafed bush at Indian Ladders Farm lol...the kids had a great time and topped the day with apple cider (of course) and other goodies from their country store.
Got them at Stantons Farm in Feura Bush....their prices beat Olsens by a LONG SHOT at 2 huge pots for 40 bucks...then 3 smaller pots for 13.
Well my son has returned to public school for 9th grade. The local news aired a clip of my children running into the highschool to dodge the rain that day Zach had to pick up his schedule - the kids taped it on DVR and replay it in slow-mo for the added comedic relief it provides lol.
This is a list of some of the texts the kids are using this year. The younger two children are also studying 9th grade level Biology, World History and Algebra.
Biology - The Living Environment (Prentice Hall)
World History - Patterns of Interaction (McDougal Littell)
Algebra (Prentice Hall)
In addition to Algebra, Jacob is completing Saxon Math 6/5
All the kids are currently reading GOODBYE VIETNAM by Gloria Whelan
For Vocabulary the kids are still using HOT WORDS FOR THE SAT
Rachael has been learning Japanese but I believe she is switching to Chinese since Zach is now taking Mandarin Chinese in public school.
Rachael is taking guitar and fiddle lessons...gotta see about getting Zach his lessons back-to-back with Rachael's so as to conserve on gas and time lol Jacob wants to learn drums. GREAT. lol 
Test Dates and Fees
Dates
In 2008, high schools may administer the PSAT/NMSQT on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 or Saturday, October 18, 2008.
Fees
The fee for the 2008 PSAT/NMSQT is $13. (Note: Schools sometimes charge an additional fee to cover administrative costs.) The College Board makes fee waivers available to schools for students in eleventh grade from low-income families who can't afford the test fee. See your counselor for more information about fee waivers.
Homeschoolers can take Regents Exams yay!!! <--click on that !!! 
This is a beautiful thing because my two younger darlings can take those exams and use those scores to help apply for colleges. I love homeschooling *happy sigh* lol
Just had a meeting at the High School with my son's guidance counselor. He is being placed in all honors courses. 
Chalk another one up for homeschoolers YAY!! lol...I.
My oldest son will be taking Honors Biology, Algebra, English and Social Studies...he was going to be placed in AP Social Studies but that class would have taken up two periods of class time, and he really wanted to take a computer class. So pretty soon he'll be doing programming. And he's going to be in orchestra and learning Chinese. *Motherly pride beaming so brightly*
E-Book Express <--- click on that to find lots of wonderful E-Books...this is great because I know I am not the only mother in the world with a boy who has Asperger's
Currently his issues are tactile defensiveness, particularly when it comes to the various textures of PAPER, paper towels, and yes, even paper in BOOKS...so this is why E-Books are so wonderful. I just found this link in my email from The Old Schoolhouse, so thanks guys!!
It used to be that glossy pages in books would suffice to deal with this issue, but now that's a problem too. Also several months ago, he began this obsessive compulsion with needing his bedsheets changed if anyone (besides me, lol) so much as TOUCHED his bed, even while in passing. It is not uncommon when friends come over, to hear Jacob say, "would you please make sure that you don't touch my bed?" Hey, at least he says "please" lol...the friends, thank goodness, are very understanding, but you'll still find me, from time to time, putting his favorite blanket in the wash at 10:30 at night (or even later God forbid), because "[someone] touched it".
People who have not walked a mile in my shoes cannot relate to or understand the anguish a child such as Jacob experiences over these kinds of things that they obsess about. It's less discomfort or aggravation for me to simply wash the blanket than to fight him on this issue and tell him to "deal with it"...I know my child, he would lose sleep all night over this issue. If you have never dealt with a child with this problem, you may sit in judgement, but you'll never have a true understanding of what it is to empathize with your child who you know is obsessing and losing sleep over something that would be of no consequence to the "rest" of "us".
My friend Diane and I have had many conversations regarding the ignorant people we have encountered (relatives included!) through our trevails with our Asperger-y boys. We had dinner at their house two Fridays ago...she is considering homeschooling her son this year. He has been in school the past two years but she thinks perhaps this year they may return to homeschooling. I say GO FOR IT HONEY haha...
My oldest is going to highschool this year, he is so excited. I spent about $500 at JC Penney's two weeks ago (they were having a great sale, and I had coupons to boot) and also got him set with all his school supplies too because Rite Aid was having a wonderful sale. So, needless to say, I won't be among those clamoring at the last minute to get their child ready for school. My children are the center of my world and I wouldn't have it any other way :)