I hear the "light sanding" going on in the kitchen.  Everything is drywalled and mudded - I can't wait for the painting and then for it all to be done!

My first plan will be to unpack everything in the school room and get that organized.  Oh, it will be glorious!  We will be cutting back on some nonessentials this year.  No more theatre for the kids, DD has said she wants to stick with Highland dance, providing it's not so late in the day.  It's been at 5pm the last 2 years and she says she's just not "jumpy" at that time of day.  Here I gave her the out to quit but nope, she wants to keep going.  Well, okay then.  She is good at it.

DS wants to take fencing at our local Parks and Leisure centre and maybe woodwork.  He says he wants to try new things this year and while he enjoyed pottery and painting, would like to see what else is out there, hence the fencing and woodwork.  DS is starting grade 8 this year so Medieval times is part of the curriculum and fencing will be a nice additive!

I have decided not to start a girls group at church this year.  I was constantly running last year and after this summer, have realized I need to slow down too.  4-H will wind down in the fall, only to start up again in the new year and really, bang for the buck, 4-H really gives a lot back to my kids and our family.

It's been a crummy year for selling at the Farmer's Market.  I don't even know if we made back what we've put in yet for supplies - let alone for weeding, of which we have definitely NOT earned back : (  But I guess that just goes with the "cash crop" territory.  So I will need to cut back more this year and see how it goes.  It is a blessing that we get piano paid for through homeschooling.

Been watching RVs on craigslist and finally the 1970s ones are coming available under $4000.  We will probably jump at one of these as it'll be something our family can enjoy and will sure come in handy for the fairs.  We hope to go look at one on Monday or Tuesday for around $3000. 

My mom hasn't been feeling well for the past week or so.  Says she feels worse than she did 15 years ago.  This morning she sounded much better so I pray that lasts.  She's been so well for so many years, you forget what the illness is really like.

FarmMom

DS has named me Granola Granny.  Not sure how I feel about it as I am just 34!  But anyway!  I am spinning wool like a fiend, sewing up a storm etc.  Today I pondered, out loud, how much wheat I'd have to plant to supply enough flour for our family.  Too bad wheat doesn't grow in this area but you never know.

And then today I took DS to a large-chain electronics store to buy the Lego Indiana Jones Wii game with his gift certificate he got for coming in 3rd for a 4-H cancer ed display and I realized that I am completely not used to malls anymore!  The store was overwhelming.  Too big, so much stuff.  Reminded me of shopping at a Target with a woman from Kenya (although she had been here for 8 years, but she still felt wonder at seeing the aisles of stuff).

We looked around in the mall too.  I realized that DD has barely been to a mall (except our very small one-level icky mall) her whole life!  You know, I don't think I mind becoming a Granola Granny.  Maybe he could call me Granola Gal instead.

FarmMom

DS went down to the barn to feed his calf and called us to tell us that the goats and Dolly (sheep who thinks she's a goat as she was raised with DD's goat, Crosby) were out.  He called back a few minutes later to tell us that there were two newborn goats in the pen!

Turns out their mom is Mocha, our herd matriarch (and geriatric goat).  Surprise!  Unfortunately, they are boys so won't be staying with us.  I've been thinking about doing meat goats - gotta put  braces on the kids' teeth somehow! 

FarmMom

Not sure why I chose that title.  Gotta update since my last entry:

1.  we had a housefire.  DH woke up to the sound and, with God's help, put it out with a garden hose.  Even the firefighters were surprised.  Started with a motion sensor light and some pieces of wood he put up against it.  Guess the light stayed on.  We were about a minute away from losing most of our house (about the difference in time from when DH woke up to the window burning out, smoke coming in, and the alarm going off) and about 3 minutes away from losing the whole house.  We praise God for his protection.

2.  4-H continued on and we did our first local fair as a new club.  It was awesome and crazy fun.  Our 18 or so kids in the club are the best!  I spent a lot of time sewing curtains and putting together signs.

3.  I really wanted a rosette - never had one so I entered many "Special classes" to get a rosette : )  I won for the bread and a special blueberry apple bread that is sooooo good!  I also got the Sr. Aggregate award.  I wish they'd call it something else, it makes me feel old.

4.  The weeds are overtaking.  I think we'll have to cut the corn patch in half next year and not do so much.  Sigh.  We just can't keep up.  I hear that it takes one person full-time (that's farmer full-time, not regular 9-5, weekends and holidays off.  Farmer full-time is sun-up to sun-down 7 days a week!) to look after an acre of organic garden.  We have about 2 acres and DH still has cows to milk, things to fix and hay to make and while admittedly I don't go weeding as often as I should, I don't have a lot of free time to get out there in the not-so-hot time of day and weed.

5.  Our income tax changed by about $3000 on paper, not in reality so we lost our cheaper medical/free dental for the kids option.  I really had to try not to cry about that one!  This is the year for braces for DS.  I know it'll work out, God's always provided but it was a shock. 

6.  It's been 2 months since the fire and I just got my kitchen nook back, unfinished, so in DD's b-day pics you can see studs and drywall-less walls in the background.  Oh well.

7.  Back to the fair.  DD showed a calf and goat for the 1st time and did so well!  The goat was a bit of a handful but she got 3rd out of 5 for her first ever show in Dairy!  I was beaming!  DS didn't show too well but that made him give his all in a fitting competition (where you make your calf ready for a show) and he won!  A huge rosette and a bag of show supplies!  He was tickled.

8.  Realized I've gained probably 18 lbs since my biological father died.  ack, if only I could get ride of the hole I fill that way! 

So that's my update.  I've been pretty good not complaining about the construction but I'm tired of it now.  I can't find anything and that, in itself, causes stress.

FarmMom

We've been finished school for a while already.  We really have no academic worries over here so that's good.  I finally feel that, now that we're finishing our 3rd year homeschooling, I've found my way.  I know what I want to do, I can balance the ludicrousness of our public education demands and the enrichment my kids crave.  With those things in mind, I have decided that next spring, 4-H will educate my kids.  Why?  Well, I am shocked with the enrichment it gives!  Here's my plan for next year:

We will conduct the beginning of our year much the same, all the basics, quite academic, some fun in between : )  This is how I scheduled my University years too, LOTS the fall semester (maybe 21 semester hours) and then a lighter spring (12 semester hours, or 4 full classes).  When I lay out our school plan, I will make sure all our learning outcomes are done and then, come March, we will start tapering off the "traditional schooling" and while I'll want DS to continue with Math and 2nd language, we'll wrap up any units, language arts etc.  Then he will be set free into the world of 4-H.

First up will be speeches.  That'll be considered more part of school next year.  This year he spoke about guinea pigs.  He researched, did a rough draft, final draft, practiced, tweaked etc.  He went as high as a Jr could go, the Regionals!  And although he didn't place there, that was pretty good for a first time effort - having never even seen a speech be done before and being led by myself and other 1st time 4-H leaders!

Then, Demos will come up.  With these, the kids work in pairs and have to show, in 8-10 minutes, the completion of a skill or product.  This year, he worked with another boy and they did a magic trick, and how to make the kit to do the kit.  They also went on to Regionals (very good for the other boy who was super shy and reluctant to be in front of others but like many other 4-H kids, got confidence super-quick).  DS also did a demo with a girl who is over 13 and so is a Senior.  This meant he was judged as a Sr. and they also got to Sr. Regionals.  Whoa, fish outta water there!  But anyway, it was a TONNE of work to do one, let alone two.  The teacher we are enrolled with came to the District Jr. Demos and saw DS do it and she was blown away; had never seen anything like that and was amazed.

And after that are Educational Displays.  Here's where you get beyond working up the ladder where the top two speeches and demos at the club level move up to Districts, top two at districts move up to Regionals and if you are a Sr, the top two move on to Provincials.  With the educational displays, you can work alone, as a pair, or as a group but they are usually judged at fairs and you can show your one display at many fairs.  You also win prize money : )  We have a large fair that offers special incentives (they have sponsors) if you do an educational display on cancer.  I believe there are 10 prizes to a local electronics store, gift cards of $400, $250 and down to about 6 cards at $75. Now, I saw the cancer displays last year at this fair and I'd have guessed there were maybe 6 in total so we have a few keen kids who are intending to take advantage of this and do displays on that topic.

DS is in two projects this year, Dairy and Gardening.  And surprisingly, he loves gardening!  I have NEVER seen him so engrossed and working so hard!  It was amazing!  He was the human rototiller!  And since the woman leading gardening truly loves it, and since her husband deals with bugs in greenhouses, and they don't have kids of their own, they have been awesome at teaching and inspiring DS!! 

Next year, I don't know if he'll choose to do two projects again.  I think he likes the gardening more than Dairy but Dairy is more fun at the fairs and he's a pretty good little showman. 

DD experiences all these activities as well.  Not the speeches and things like that, although she may choose to do one next year.  Usually cloverbuds (kids ages 6-8) don't do those things but we encouraged the kids to do demos this year and 2 of them did a pseudo demo!

So yup, next year, since I am a leader, I will use 4-H to educate my kids!

Well, the kids are wearing the Egyptian crowns they made and I need to take pictures!
FarmMom

Long story short (or shorter):  DD's dance teacher has a daughter in grade 1 in a local public school.  Year starts out with 2 changes of teachers (1st teacher goes on mat-leave in October, mat-leave teacher comes back in the new year, so 3 changes up to now).

2nd teacher tells H (mom) that it is a problem her daughter isn't too interested in colouring.  um, yeah, well, it's not a fine motor skills problem, it's personal preference - and unfortunately, it makes it hard for the teacher if a child won't just sit and colour carefully, preferring to rush the unpleasant job.

Things starting piling up all spring, E keeps getting 7/7 on her spelling tests but the teacher doesn't commend her hard work (it IS hard work for her, they work on it!), instead she says, "Sometimes it's better to pay attention in class than get 7/7 on a test."  Then, the report card comes.  Since E's in elementary school, it's just a matter of meeting the expectations, exceeding them, or not meeting them.  Apparently, according to her report card, she's meeting them all.  BUT then H finds out that E's only in level 9 in reading and that she needs to be at 17 by the end of Grade 1.  What???  "Is this a problem?"  she asks.  And well, yeah, it is, but don't worry about it.  The following week E's been promoted to level 11.  So, do you think of it as E's progress has been overlooked until the mom mentioned it or that they bumped her up to appease the mom?  Who's to know?

So H asks me where she could get her daughter tested for reading.  I ask my public-school-teaching-friend (thanks Pablo!) and she tells me that yes, this would be a problem to not be close to level 17 because w/o that, she's not meeting expectations.  She gives me some tips and I go back to H  Apparently at their last parent/teacher/vice-principal meeting, they told her not to help their daughter at home, don't get a tutor, they didn't want that, it would cause her too much stress etc., and this seems to be told to other parents too.  On the plus side, E is happy to go to school but H says even that worries her - she's a bit "too" happy.  Like she doesn't do anything all day, just plays. 

I'm listening to this thinking, "Man!  If this were a religious school I'd be saying, 'Cult!' get out of there!  You know, let us teach your child, we'll handle it, we'll brainwash her  . . ."  But it's not a religious school or a cult, so it's only some really odd doctrine of schooling - discourage learning at home and yet not remedy a problem when a child is not meeting the expectations of your program.

I hung up thinking, yet again, how perfect homeschooling is for us.  Feeling for H because I was in a similar situation with DS's school before we pulled him and how scared I was to take on homeschooling, how the teacher and elementary coordinator (who did the gifted testing on him) told me that they feared for his development because he did not enjoy PE, and perhaps ruin my son, cause him social problems or in some way cause him to not grow into the man God intended.  But now I see how all things do work together . . .

FarmMom
note:  he only hated PE at school.  PE at our co-op was great, floor hockey at Cubs was fine, horsebackriding, geocaching, archery, swimming, bike riding, climbing trees . . . he just didn't like having to skip rope a few times a week or run laps around the field, picking up popsicle sticks when he passed the teacher.  What fun is that?

Yes, I always plan ahead and think about things.

So, we've decided to nix Sparks and Cubs and we all feel good about that.  I am speaking to a lady at church about starting a Gems program at our church and she's very interested.  I hope for that on Monday afternoons.

DD still has dance (Highland) and while she often complains about going, she's actually really good at it and it's good for her.

Both kids will be in Jr. Theatre next year (from September to February) and I'll probably put them in some homeschool art classes as well.

So, this leaves piano.  DS will continue in grade 4 piano but DD . . . this is hard.  She is doing amazingly and has progressed quickly and is probably a year or two above where her brother was at this age.  She's always been pretty musical, I knew that when she was still in the womb.  Soooo, the conundrum is that she's been in piano since she was 4, this is her 2nd year.  Was I kidding myself?  I guess 'cuz we started DS at age 4 in Music For Young Children, I just figured we'd give her a go.  She does well, is really good at it but sometimes it's a hassle for me to get the practicing done.  As it is, I don't really help her much all week and I guess I feel guilty about that. 

Also, there's an amazing girls' choir that has a branch that meets locally.  There is a chance they'll have a choir for 6 yr olds next year (usually for that one you have to travel kinda far, and I'm not into that).  I am extremely picky about my children's musical education.  I love the piano teacher because she has taught them musicianship along with the piano.  Her knowledge is great and it is confirmed each time DS enters a festival (got Gold for both his pieces this year) or does his exams.  So my thought is, do I let her take a year off piano and do choir instead or do we continue with just piano or do both piano and choir.  Today we ran into the choir director on our way out of Sparks and I wasn't sure if DD recognized her but when we got in the car she asked me if I was putting her in choir next year.  I asked if she'd like that and she said she really would. 

So, there's the balance question.  If she had her way, I think she wouldn't do dance but maybe do both piano and choir.  I want her to do dance because it's good for her and she really excels at it.  She often complains on our way out there but seems to enjoy the class, the teacher is great, and she does enjoy competing.  There is a chance there won't be a choir for her age group here next year so that would solve that.

Oh yes, and not to forget 4-H.  Now that's a program that suits both kids and I don't mind pouring into.

FarmMom

Tonight was Sparks (Girl Guides for 5 & 6 yr olds).  This age group is really not my favourite and I just don't quite see how I've raised 2 kids to not pick their noses and to have some semblance of manners and respect for authority and yet, I'd say 1/4 of the girls there are lacking in those things.  It is very tiring.  Tonight, we made crafts for our mother's day tea next week.  You've got some kids that keep coming up to you, "What do I do now?" etc. etc. but will wait quietly while you get things ready.  And then you have the little center of the world kids who announce at every moment, "I'm done!  What do I do now?"  And if I don't respond (because I have 14 other girls to help with the crafts and some are actually waiting, this child'll come right up to me and thrust her work in my face and bellow in my ear the same thing.  grrrr.  I could go on and on but I think you get the idea.  This particular child is just extra patience-demanding on my part.  I really do like manners and it's apparent she doesn't have to have any at home.  But that's just one child. 

The majority of them, really, are pretty good but those 6 or 7 (of 15!) really wear a person out!  The need for instant gratification is so great it can be overwhelming!  Inappropriate talk, being loud to get attention, not listening etc.  And it's hard for me, liking discipline, to come in on year 2 for some of the girls where chaos reigned the year before and the girls all get swallowed into a giant twister of misplaced energy.  Just not my style.  Are the girls happy, yup.  Am I, nope, not so much.

So I came home and DH asked me how it went and he said I looked a little wild-eyed.  I told him that it was  a very stressful crafting session.  I must say, I find these Tuesdays least enjoyable.  I told him that the kids just have no manners and need to be the centre of attention and he said, "Is this a sign of the next generation?"  and you know, I think it might be.  Over time, there have always been bratty, selfish kids (think Nellie Olson) but it just seems now that kids don't even KNOW how to behave, they are given so much they are not thankful for anything and there is little, if any, respect for adults or authority.  And yes, this is what I am seeing in Girl Guides.  No offence to Guides, the program is quite nice for a secular program, but kids in general - it doesn't seem like maybe you get one obnoxious child in a group, it's more like more than 1/2 are!

I think had I come into an organized group, it would've been doable but I was thrown into a group that is totally opposite my personality, with leaders who are fine with the way it is and the chaos that ensues.  But it does confirm my choice to homeschool, gee whiz, DD gives me enough lip and run for my money - can't imagine what she'd be like hanging around kids like those full time! 

Like the old saying goes, "They say it takes a village to raise a child . .  .  (add homeschool part) . . . well, I've seen the village and I don't want it to raise MY kids!"

We will finish this year, it ends early June and I can't wait!  And I've already ordered, and had delivered, the Keepers of the Faith program for both kids and so we'll do that.  Also, I intend on starting a homeschool Gems program in the fall.  Just nice, well-adjusted, respectful homeschool girls.  Ones that assume to call me by my Mrs. FarmMom name (I'm sure they'll end up calling me by my given name but the point is that the respect for authority is already there).  Will these girls have attitude, sometimes misplaced?  Of course!  Will they sometimes not want to do what we are planning?  I'd imagine so!  But regardless, I know that the foundational blocks with these girls have been set in place and that with some guidance, they can be put back on the right path.  Ah, what a relief that'll be!

FarmMom

A few things since my last post:

1.  I had a birthday and it was lovely.  Nothing fancy, nothing special but two surprise lambs were born!
2.  Walked 14 kids through doing 4-H demos for the first time.  Well, 1 girl had done one before but the rest of us, including leaders were new at it.  DS did awesome, he actually did two, one as a Jr. with another HS boy and one as a Sr. with Karen (DS's actually a Jr., will be for another 2 years but was judged as a Sr. with Karen).  DS will go to District Demos for both Demos on Saturday.  As a Jr, he and Josh did how to make a magic set, The Escaping Blocks; and as a Sr. he and Karen did How to Sew on A Button.
3.  The menagerie under my back deck is getting funnier.  Started with Biscotti bunny, then we got Crosby, the baby goat so DH set up a pen and we let Biscotti live with Crosby.  Now Crosby thinks he's a bunny.  That's sort of okay but Biscotti thinks she's a dog.  Then, we added Dolly, one of the b-day lambs.  She's clueless about where she fits in but she's very sweet.  Not as quick to drink a bottle, but sweet nonetheless.  When we dump in a scoop of grain, Crosby and Dolly race to the bin and along comes Biscotti, who weasels her way in and sits IN the bin!
4.  I came to a decision about Sparks (Girl Guides for K-Gr. 1).  I purposely became a leader so that I could monitor what was going on and really, the program was okay - just it really lacked the spiritual part of my life.  And of course the leader with her satanic-emblem necklace sort of deterred me.  Anyway, I will probably start a Gems group for DD and some other HS kids.  I think keeping it during the day with HS kids, will keep us with other like-minded families.  I know quite a few HS kids who have been disheartened by the two-facedness of the girls in Gems and quit (you know, learn about things but not have the ability to apply it).  As well, I will do the Keepers program with both kids.  Pins earned for everything from memorizing the books of the Bible to archery to rocketry to basketry!  There's more than 300 of them and I won't be obliged to follow any program's rules.  I'm hoping a few more families will do it too so we can join up to do some projects together.
5.  I watched in wonder as my 5 yr old DD prepared her 4-H Speak and Show (sort of a glorified Show and Tell).  Usually the young ones don't do any public speaking but I figured, at the club level, if she wanted to do it, she could.  She and another young girl did them.  Well!  DD must've been paying attention to all those speeches because she blew me away with her hand gestures, knowing how to address the crowd.  I sat there, mouth open, in shock.  Of course, when the time came, most of that flew out the window but the pt is, she has learned quite a bit just by being there for the meetings and public speaking!
6.  I am pleased to see my kids interact with consideration with each other.  I know this would not be so if they were in school.
7.  All these demo-practices for DS meant I had some time to make a new friend with Josh's mom.  I appreciate her and enjoyed our times together.
8.  We still would like to get an RV.  Figure it has to be about as old as us for us to afford.  Went to see an '83 but couldn't quite afford that one : (  Oh well, never know what'll turn up.  Hmmm, speaking of that, Ingrid, can we borrow the silver hot dog for the PNE again??
9.  Proud of DS in all his accomplishments.  Proud too when a dad mentions to me how nicely confident DS is.   Oh yes, proud of DH and his negotiations with the workers and "higher ups" that have chosen to cut our farm in half to put in a bridge connector.  DH does well and earns respect wherever he goes.

Well, there are lots more little things but tomorrow the cousins come for a quick 1 night stay and I'm still waiting for DH and DS to come back from a movie extra ($$ to go in the kitty for the RV).

FarmMom

Now it's hard to remember what my last post was about!  Oh well, main news is that Crosby the goat is still bottle fed and under my back deck.  DH added another goat, one of the 4-H kids, who didn't seem to be thriving.  The other night, DH enticed Crosby up the stairs to visit me in the den and have his bottle.  For a family who didn't give their kids bottles, this whole bottle thing is very new!

I did even less for Easter this year.  DS wanted to make sure at least we'd have some sort of hunt.  Seeing as we have Easter chocolate left over from LAST year, I didn't want to give them that so I hid some $$ in eggs, and a few chocolate eggs.  I hope he wasn't disappointed!  Sometimes the expense of all these extra things just isn't feasible.  We have a homemade version of the Resurrection Eggs so we did those.  A friend made them and the kids like them.  I put them all in a basket and then we all picked 3 and read through them in order.  DD is really understanding now.

I've been struggling with the whole Girl Guides/Boy Scouts thing.  DS has been in Cubs for 2 years (or has it been 3?) and DD did Sparks for her first year this year.  It's *fine* but I find volunteering with children in a program that is not like-minded with our beliefs hard.  Sigh. 

Yesterday we had a funeral for a longtime family friend (meaning DH's grandparents were friends with the family) and the widow was the one very instrumental in helping me with the arrangements for Aunt Mabel's funeral.

Last night DS did his 4-H speech for regionals.  He didn't place in the top three and while I think he was disappointed, for his first year doing a speech, he did awesome!  We're proud.

And I guess that's it for now.
FarmMom

We have now delved into the world of 4-H.  Last year was DS's first year but unfortunately, the leaders weren't the greatest.  This year, we started our own group and I share the A-leader's job with a fellow Farmer's Market board member who is passionate about teaching kids gardening.  We started a Community Club so we have 5 different projects under the umbrella of our group:  dairy, goat (yay for DH!), gardening, cooking and cloverbuds (for ages 6-8).  We have shocked everyone by having 18 registered members the first year (plus two 5 yr olds who can't be registered but are younger siblings and so come along for the cloverbud ride.).  It's going really well.

I am amazed how much 4-H offers homeschooled kids.  They do speeches, demos, educational displays, judging and a whole slew of other things that we count as "school".  What an opportunity!  Surprisingly, we had one girl register with us along with 2 older neighbours of hers and then I found out she was homeschooled too.  My co-leader is now a homeschool-convert (she doesn't have kids of her own) and she is blown away by how the hs kids seem to see everything as a learning adventure and want to learn.  Refreshing for a change. 

In a few hours, we expect to have the goat and dairy kids come down to the barn for "training".  Of the 18 kids registered, only 3 actually come from farms (DS and another pair of siblings).  For the "urban" kids, they were all thrilled to pick projects and when some of them found out they could do dairy or goat by borrowing ours, well, they were ecstatic! 

With 18 kids the first year, I'm thinking we'll be outgrowing my house by next!
FarmMom

Well, we finally got a call for ALL four of us to be on set today!  It's worked out a few times for both kids, or DH and DS and once we were going to be the "frozen family" for a tornado show but then, at the last minute, they decided not to use us because they didn't want to make the kids have all that make-up.  Unfortunately, they don't know my kids and that they'll sit still and do what they have to when told.  Oh well, DD got to go anyway, I should see if that show is out.  She was pulling a Tornado toy down a street and it was made especially for that movie so I figure it'll be shown.

Anyway, it is much better financially for us all to go at one time.  You know, $9.57 times 4 is alright.  I sorta hoped for a union voucher (you don't often know when you'll get one) but alas, we were not that lucky.  Would've been nice to almost triple the pay!

So all 4 of us were on the set for the new "Buddies" movie, Space Buddies.  Nothing's cuter than a bunch of puppies in space suites.  Yup.  We were onset at 7am, left at 6am so were a bit late and were wrapped at 4pm.  I consider this cheap family time with lots of bad for you food.  Not quite cheap date night, but cheap family day.  DD had a chocolate muffin and hot chocolate for breakfast.  And a cookie.  I think DS had a Krispy Kreme donut . . . lunch was a gourmet sandwich, caesar salad, watermelon and butter tart squares (we weren't lucky enough to get to eat with the union people and get hot food.  Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't.  It is a weird feeling, though, to be segregated.)

While DH and DD had a snooze in the car during lunch, DS and I went to the local cemetery to hunt for the clues for a geocache.  A slightly bonding experience.  I've always loved graveyards, had to walk through a big one to/from school for grades 5-7.  Being there made me think that perhaps it's time to see where my biological father is laid to rest.  Perhaps.

FarmMom

I better go to bed!
FarmMom

Apparently this is my 200th entry!  I've been having such fun with a fellow 4-H leader joking about mine and DH's lame date nights.

Our last one was in July when we left the kids with a sitter and went on set to both be movie extras.  We thought that was a tad lame but were SOOOOO excited to be out together.  We only lasted about an hour before my dad came to find us to tell us DD was in the ER, with what turned out to be a nasty broken arm.

This also ruined our plans for a date night 2 days later when he and I were supposed to tour the area with the agricultural advisory committee.  Dinner and t-shirts were provided.  What a deal!  I had to stay home with broken arm girl, though.

Our next date night was last week when we had the Farmer's Market Annual General Business Meeting.  Soup was served.  Yup.  Cheap date.  My dad watched the kids, which I was thankful for because my mom wasn't up to it, but it did mean we scooted home by 8:10pm.  I'll never forget coming home to find my son and dad standing at the TV playing baseball on the Wii!

And then last night was free date night too, but with kids.  We very rarely go out to eat or order in or anything like that but I do do a "mystery shop" for a local restaurant chain.  They sent me a $45 gift card and the week and meal to go for (dinner), so we all went because heck, for $45 we can ALL eat!  Date night with kids.

But I think these days will be over sooner than later.  DS will be 11 in May and I know things'll start changing soon about being able to leave them home together - I've put in 11 years, and it surely won't be another 11 before I can do that!

FarmMom

A homeschooling friend once told me that the best advice she got was that you had to move beyond grades (as in grade levels) to successfully homeschool.  I wasn't too sure about that at the time but I think I'm getting it now.

We just had a visit from our "teacher" to go over the kids' work.  They LOVE Her visits!  I had asked her about next year.  Seeing that's he's considered grade 6/7 (even though he technically finished grade 6 the fall of 2006 but since he's already skipped a grade we left him as 6/7 for the year), she figured he'd be 7/8 next year.  It's getting a little tricky (which would probably be less tricky if we weren't enrolled but I do want him to get his diploma and other benefits of graduating from grade 12 here). 

And then there's DD.  She's 5 yrs younger than DS and the difference at the Kindergarten level in those 5 years!  Wowsers!  Recently, our Ministry of Education gave Kindergarteners the criteria that they need to be able to count to 10.  Yup.  By the end of Kindergarten!!!  The counting to 100 in DS's Kindergarten days long-gone. 

And since I'm babbling about the Ministry of Education and its changes to "dumb down" our kids, there's also been a change in when to introduce telling time - Grade 4! 

Why are we doing this???  I am so thankful to be able to pick what my kids learn and when, allowing them to explore further if they want or work on it less if they've mastered it!  No wonder parents who were schooled in other countries come here and are shocked at what their kids are doing.  Makes me sad.  But then, you'll always find the teachers in the school system who go the extra mile and do teach at the level the kids need.

A Rant by
FarmMom

When DS was little I started the habit of helping him blow his nose.  I'd hold the kleenex and pinch one nostril and he could concentrate all his power on blowing the guck out.  Then I'd switch nostrils, wash my hands and that was that.  The nostril thing is a bit of a farmer-blow thing.  Although, farmers just blow the guck out onto the ground.  Sorry, TMI.

Since it worked so well, I also did it with DD.  The other day she wanted me to help her and I told her she could blow it herself and she said, "But I like to feel the mama love."  aw.  It was sweet, but still blowing guck out of the nose doesn't = love to me!

FarmMom

Sometimes I forget that DS is gifted.  I'm so used to him and then I think maybe he's not so smart after all.

I stumbled upon some info on homeschooling gifted kids and boy, am I happy for the reminder!  On this site:
http://www.gt-cybersource.org/Record.aspx?NavID=2_0,2_0&rid=11179
the author says that the school setting can be an "inappropriate environment" for a gifted child and the example she uses sounds exactly like DS:

Highly gifted children experience increased vulnerability when they spend large portions of their time in inappropriate educational settings. The more a gifted child's abilities differ from the norm, the more inappropriate becomes the educational program offered in the regular classroom. A 7-year-old with the reasoning capacity of an 11-year-old, whose reading and math skills equal those of the average fifth grader, will find little useful activity in a regular second grade classroom. Even if the teacher presents new information, the instructional pace will be unbearably slow, forcing the child to practice endlessly skills mastered in less than half the time taken by the average student (Stanley, Keating, & Fox, 1974, Keating, 1976).

That is pretty much exactly what happened, in grade 2, no less, except his reading was beyond the 5th grade and when tested, he was capable of figuring out math questions to the level of a 16 yr old, even though it was evident that he didn't know the basics like the multiplication tables by memory.

This was a good reminder of why God called us to homeschool.

And just now DD wanted to show me something on the piano.  Her brother had taught her some of his grade 3 piano piece so she played that and then told me she made up words for it.  She sang it for me, "Everybody has a talent.  Yes, they do . . ."  She has shown talent for things like music and art and it surprised me that it seems, innately, that she has recognized that in herself.

FarmMom

Today I went to the chiropractor for the first time in my life.  I feel almost like I took one for the team, you know, I went and put myself at risk, checked it out, it was fine, and now the rest of my family can go!

The back thing was really bugging me so I asked a friend where she goes.  Then, I called that office and ended up getting my 4-H friend as the receptionist.  I got right in, the chiropractor was awesome, a really nice lady, quite enjoyed DS and was pleased he was paying such attention etc.  She mentioned a few times that our bodies were awesomely created etc., so I had an inkling of her religious views and then I saw a huge framed print with the Prayer of Jabez so then I knew for sure : )

Anyway, she checked me out, noticed right away that my hips are incredibly unlevel and then she came up with what she thought was wrong, tested it, treated it, tested it again and I was probably about 70% better!  It is amazing!  I am so pleased.  I go back on Wednesday and it'll probably take a few more times after that.  And I told her I'd like my neck worked on and she said, "I'd like to help you fix your neck."  It must drive chiropractors crazy to see people compensating for weird alignment etc.  Kind of like me when there are pg women going on about being "high risk" etc. and having all this medical intervention etc.  (and remember, I was a routine miscarrier, and all babies after my first big loss at 18 wks were definitely high risk, and only 1 of the 3 made it). 

Back to the chiropractor.  One reason I hadn't gone is because of money.  I did have extended medical for a few years after DD was born and I considered going then but never did.  Somehow I thought it was about $100/treatment so was thrilled to know the 1st one would be $45 and the others $35.  That's not that bad.  And then my 4-H receptionist friend ran my provincial medical card through and since our income is low and so we get lower coverage payments, we also get 10 treatments for $10/each per family member.  What a relief that was! 

So here I am, feeling a lot better, optimistic about getting my neck fixed too and also knowing that I won't cause us to be financially destitute with chiropractor appointments.

FarmMom

Ahem, today I was putting away laundry, the first thing to put away, my underwear and I pulled my back.  Yes indeed, seems the 2nd drawer wasn't going to let me off easy.  It felt awful!  The worst pull I've done!  It made me feel old!

But then I remembered that something similar had happened the last time I was sick and spent a lot of time on the couch so I guess my 10 day stint on the couch last week maybe weakened it?  In any case, it definitely cramped my style today and I'm still not over that dumb bug and now my back hurts (I think I'm whining).  I had to have the other Sparks leaders come here for our meeting and of course I have a packed week.  I think I'll skip the Farmer's Market board meeting tomorrow.  I just need to get better!

Our new 4-H group will start Thursday so that's kinda a priority.
FarmMom

Okay, I'm getting a little sick of this (pun sort of intended).  I was a bit under the weather around new year's and now it's January 22nd and I cannot kick this flu I came down with 11 days ago.  I'm whining.  I feel awful, have not done any housework or meal cooking, the kids didn't do schoolwork (well, DS was sick last week too so that made it a bit more okay) and we have no groceries.  DH did one mercy mission for OJ and a few other things and my dad did a few days after when DH came down with it and our OJ consumption increased two fold.

The dog is taking advantage of the lack of vacuuming and has cloned himself in various corners of the house with dog hair.  Oh, did I mention I can't smell or taste much of anything?  I knew the guinea pig cage must stink but I couldn't smell it so DS got off cleaning it until today (still can't smell it but knew it had to be bad).

FarmMom