Walking in Grace Daily

Aug. 7, 2008 - Big babies, big plans

Just an update...

I didn't post Mon. after my OB appt., but after consistently measuring 4 weeks bigger than I should, my mid-wife wanted an ultrasound to rule out extra fluid, funny positioning, etc. Went to day and we have a nice fat 33 week old boy in there. His little legs measured about 33 weeks but his belly is almost 38 weeks :) Everything averaged together, he's about 3 weeks large - about 6 1/2 pounds right now. If I go full term, he'll be another whopper like his siblings have been - around 10 lbs. maybe more if he doesn't slow down his weight gaining. So far we've had weigh ins at (in lbs. and oz.) 7-12 (three weeks early) 8-12, 8-13, 8-15, 9-13, and 10-7. We don't exactly have teenie weenie newborns around here. Skip the newborn daipers and 5-8 lb. clothes. We go straight to size 1 and I have fold the tops or cut a notch for the cord. But I like it! I get scared holding tiny babies - they seem so much more fragile. Mine you can toss a football :)

And since we're talking about growing, I'm trying to decide if we should have a ceremony for my 14yo when he offcially hits 6 ft. tall. He is 5'11 as of last night and has grown 3 inches since Feb.!! Being a little over 5'8'' I don't look up at many children or ladies - I'm not liking this. Not too mention the skis 'aka' as his shoes laying around the house. And now my almost 12 yo is only 2 1/2 inches away from looking me in the eye. What's a mom to do? Keep having "little babies" I guess :)

On the planning front, I'm glad all is well and that I may have seven weeks to keep preparing. I need it! I bounce between house organizing, baby preparations and school planning. I wanted to start this week, but just no way! I finally got my 9th grader taken care of, since his was the most time consuming. Hopefully the rest will be a breeze. His line up looks like this:

Semester one:

Bible - The Kingdom of God, Francis Breisch (an OT survey)
History - BJU World Geography
Economics - Uncle Eric Series (the first 2 books) Instead of one year of Economics tacked on in 11th we're learning some each year. I think there is just so much to learn.
Literature - Teaching the Classics (IEW) , Andrew Adams - after we go through this we'll read several books and plays
Compostion - Classical Rhetoric through Structure and Style: Writing Lessons based on the Progymnasmata (IEW)
Logic - Intermediate Logic, Jim Nance
Greek - A Greek Alphabetarion/A Greek Hupogrammon, Harvey Bluedorn - depending on how fast we work through this he'll move into Homeschool Greek 1
English Grammar/Mechanics - (last year!! yippee) Jensen's Grammar and Punctuation (2 books)
Math - Algebra 2, Saxon
Science - Biology, Apologia

Semester two looks the same except we'll be done with Intermediate Logic and doing an Intro. to Speech and Debate working through Christy Shipe's (Michael Farris's daughter) book - An Introduction to Argumentation and Debate. We are using a guide by Deanna Stollar of Antithesis Debate Publications.

I've spent much time on the phone with my "Secretary" and on www.donnayoung.org getting forms together and folders and files made. I feel somewhat ready...

I also tackled the bi-annual chore-redistribution - that is sooo much fun. Everyone is figuring out their new jobs and the house is staying very tidy. But we haven't started school yet! All in all, though I don't see the progress daily, when I look back over the last month I have accomplished quite a bit. More to go, but hey, I've got seven weeks to get it all together, right? hahahaha I've had too crazy a summer to think I'm coasting until Sep.

We'll see...

~Cindy

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Jun. 7, 2008 - Plugging away

My dh just took the whole van load to flag football practice and then off to play for a few hours so that I can finishing hammering through curriculum. So , coffee - check , stack of catalogs - check , stack of books, textbook and otherwise - check TOTALLY quiet house - CHECK!

I hope that I can concentrate with all this time to myself. (If you can relate to Homeschool-induced ADD you should read The Imperfect Homeschoolers little piece on it - too funny. http://www.cardamompublishers.com/living-with-homeschool-induced-add.htm Sorry I can't put it neatly in, still working on my HTML skills :)

~Cindy

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May. 29, 2008 - To change or not to change?

We survived our jaunt to central Florida, including the convention, and have come home to relax :) The convention, as always, was helpful. Each year though, I have different goal in going. This year I really needed to look and read alot more than buy. I'm not as settled as I have been in years past on our curriculum choices.

It's that difficult balance between using 'tried and true' programs that you feel comfortable with - but which may not be working as well as you hoped and trying something new or different and having to change your 'rhythym' so to speak. In our cell group (part of our homeschool support group) we heard from different mom's this year who have been homeschooling for 5+ years and seeing how they do it. One of the families' approaches has been to use the same curriculum for every child each year. They have been homeschooling for over 18 years and simply continue to use what they started with and pass it down. "If it was good enough for so-and-so it'll work for you". I see pros and cons to that. You as a teacher get so accustomed to teaching the material that it probably becomes second nature, which in turn, I think, allows some flexibility to veer from what's there occassionally.

The biggest problem I see is that of making a shoe fit that just isn't the right size. My two oldest couldn't be more different! We have used alot of the same curriculum, but definately at a different pace. But I'm seeing that some of it doesn't seem to be working as well.

Take English - We have used Rod and Staff English since our oldest was in 2nd grade. He had no problems getting the concepts and has basically glided through 8th grade level. My 2nd son however, has not glided. He has stumbled. I have tried going over things again. We have done the worksheets. I have stopped altogether and camped on certain chapters. It just isn't sinking in. He's not learning challenged in any way, he just seems to come at things differently. So I tried using R&S text but teaching it more like Shurley, where we simply label the sentence using the question /answer flow. It seemed to work. But I am not going to try and 're-form' the R&S text each year! So why don't I just switch to Shurley? It's Totally Different!! From all accounts I hear, it takes more teaching time, at least initially, and I'm always nervous about making changes in curriculum and teaching efforts during the years we have a new baby. Sooo... We have a new little guy coming in Sept. - My son is in essence needing to repeat sixth grade concepts in English grammar - I don't really want to use the same material - I'm wary of a change this fall - I suppose I'll just keep praying!

As a side note, I'm looking at Science as well. Apologia is arguably the most used High School Science program for homeschoolers, for good reason I think. But there are others out there. Two I've run into recently that have a very different perspective are Real Science 4 Kids and The Rainbow Curriculum (Beginnings Publishing House). Both have in common the idea that Physics is the basis of all science and that Chemistry builds on that and Biology builds on them both. Thus, they order their courses differently. My concern isn't with the material itself, so much as buidling a good learning foundation. Dr. Durrell Robbins, author of The Rianbow Curriculum/Spectrum/ and Colors gave a great demonstration of how he approaches teaching. It really made sense and my son and I both liked what we saw. But it's different!! (I'm sounding a little nuerotic now - I don't fear change normally. Most people who know me would say change is my middle name, but I get skittish with the kids education and how we spend our time)

Alright, I've been thinking 'outloud' long enough. I'm headed up to the Homeschool Consignment Shop to look around some more. If anyone has any wisdom to impart - please do so!

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May. 14, 2008 - Done?

I just realized that I fell into one of the biggest educational blunders in these past few weeks. I became obsessed with "finishing the material" !! I am one of those people who likes to finish all the lessons in a book. It's the same 'endorphin rush' Andrew Pudewa talks about in his seminars when you get to check things off your to do list. It screams - You did it! You finished something! So an unfinished book or project is a major "downer" for me, personally. I feel like I just didn't quite measure up. OK, analyze me - I have issues there :) (I am so much more like Toad than Frog - he too was anxious over his uncrossed off list)

That's why I am such a 'git-r-done' type person. I drive everyone around me to insanity when I get over-motivated to get things accomplished. My husband informed me tonight, after the seminars that he has been attending the last three days on Management strategies, etc., that I am too task oriented. ouch. I suppose it's just always been easier to deal with getting things done than with people-stuff. Not that I'm not socially oriented, I just don't balance the two very well. When I talk, I talk. When I work - I guess I just want to work. That would explain my issues with having children help in the kitchen or at the grocery store. All I see is the task to be done. Not the relational issues attached. Alright, I'm not making myself feel any better here.

But back to the education point. The question that is buzzing around my head is Do I want my children to know a lot about a little or a little about alot? Growing up I knew alot about a little. I always envied people who seemed focused on one certain area. I always felt like a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none type. My dear friend Macy, told me several years ago about the "five fat files" strategy. Think about the five things that you are best at or most interested in and hone in on them. Clip articles, write notes, do whatever to become an"expert" at those five things. I still struggle a little with that. One, because I really am interested in so many different things. To me, no factoid is too small to not know. Two, because all I seem to have time for in this stage of life are the daily basics! I am truly in awe of those who manage home-businesses, or extensive hobbies, speaking or book writing - I spend my days trying to keep my toddler from brushing his hair with the toilet scrubber again- which he has done several times, gag.

Again, back to the education point. I have heard for 10 years - It's ok NOT to finish the whole book. I have loosened up a bit, but obviously not enough. My 11yos today informed me that he had finished the rest of his Latin book, History book, Vocabulary book and Critical Thinking Book. Including the tests. Huh?? OK, brownie points for showing more motivation than he has all year combined but.. We won't even go into how many lessons that was. Suffice to say, as I start to grade the history tests and I'm looking at the information, I'm thinking How much of this does he actually know? He spit it back out, but we haven't studied it. There were no projects or discussions. No outside good reading.

Then it hit me. Who is the teacher? Who decides what we need to cover? duh. So I'm pitching the last couple of tests, which are not a good indicator in this case of what he understands and we're going to watch the History of Warfare - WWI and WWII over the next week. We're going to get out the articles and pictures on his great-grandpa who was shot down over Hungary during WWII and made it back ok. We'll read "How the Good Fight was Won" . Maybe map a battle or two. Then we'll call it quits while I pull things together for Aug. and I *promise* not to feel guilty that we didn't learn everything in the book.

So, lesson learned? We'll see. But I'm not feeling as stressed as I was two hours ago.

~Cindy

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Jan. 30, 2008 - The two day post

This is what happens when you leave the bagels under the broiler to go straighten everyone out at the breakfast table....

Nothing starts the day like good blackened food!

Monday was busy - We had the Citywide Spelling Bee. Our 13yos placed 6th out of about 20 eighth graders from around the city. He was mildly disappointed not to make it to the final round, but not too bad. The two other homeschoolers from our league that competed in 6th and 7th grades got 1st and 3rd place respectively and the 6th grade representative ended up 3rd over all. The winner of last night goes on to the Regional Bee. After that we dashed over to the Art Show which was basically over except for awards. We got there just in time for our 11yos to get a blue ribbon for his photograph of one of our oak trees! He was so excited. Miller Pads and Paper judged the show and also did a seminar on "Art-The Glue that Makes it Stick" They had their huge display up and all the kids that won got gift certificates for free Art supplies. Overall it was a fun, busy day.

I am now very ready to finish up our Civil War projects for the Homeschool Showcase on Feb. 11 and settle back to some 'plain old school'. Mid-Year reviews for us are mixed. Things are pretty on track with everyone except my 11yos. He is really struggling. No, let me rephrase that. He's not trying very hard therefore his grades reflect it. Especially in English. I have been trying very hard to make Rod and Staff work for four years with him, and I am about ready to try something different. I kept thinking, this year he'll get it - still not getting. I'm open to suggestions - Thinking about Shurley Grammar. I looked at it before, actually I bought it. Now I wish I'd tried it with him. I think the method would work well. The traditional textbook just doesn's seem to cut it. What works for one, doesn't always work for the others.

As I 'm typing, (this was last night - as usual picture issues) it is pouring down rain. A little thunder - so strange in January, but I'm getting used to Florida's oddities. Esp. when I see so many states below freezing. Not that I'd mind a fire and some hot chocolate, but being able to sit outside in 70 degree weather the last two days wasn't too bad!

Ok, so here's a tag from Floridasunsets . I haven't done one in awhile:

The rules for this meme are:

(1) Link to the person that tagged you. floridasunsets
(2) Post the rules on your blog. √
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. √
(4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. √
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website. √

Now for the tag:

I cannot think with my hair in my face.
Growing up I lived in no less than 14 different homes.
I memorized the whole song "American Pie" when I was 9 and I can not forget the lyrics no matter how hard I try!!
I am more forgetful than I want to admit.
A steak dinner is my Favorite meal!
On my refrigerator right now I have 10 magnets, a family circus cartoon, a quote about gratitude and a picture of a chicken with running shoes on. (yes, I'm reaching - I sat here with a blank look for who knows how long)

I tag ClagettsFLStyle, callmekate, crazybusy, HeritageofHome, hrlabonte, and DanielleW.

You wouldn't believe what I went through to get that on there!!! But it's up and time for dinner.

Beef Stew-yum

~Cindy

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Dec. 5, 2007 - Soon?

Some things you just can't explain. Yesterday I found one of my 6th grader's English tests in a shoe box in the garage in the yard sale pile. Care to figure that one? When I am in the middle of teaching school I can think of 150 projects that need to be done around in the house. When my afternoon 'free time' comes around, I can not remember one, so I waste an hour reading old e-mails. ??? Then of course they all come rushing back to me about 10PM and I can either go to bed feeling guitly about not being productive or not get any sleep.

Well, I did tackle the garage, at least partly . It's one of those things I can do while my littlest guy pokes around outside. I am to the point with 'stuff' that I would much rather have less and have it all in good, clean working condition than have loads of junk that is broken, dirty and taking up space. I have several pack rats in the family and I am in a constant battle with papers, artwork, memorabilia, toys, spare computers, bikes and appliance parts. 'Just in case' , ya' never know when you might need a 38 year old toilet seat (yes, I have one if you need one)

This week I also am finally tackling the Civil War. We are starting a few months later than I originally planned, but now I think we're ready. I found several good sites for info and ideas. One is http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com/UnitStudies/civilwar.htm And of course I just saw the "perfect" unit study for it in a catalog. I'm basically doing my own this time. More time consuming than I prefer, but that's ok. As we do some of the projects I hope to put the pictures on here. Speaking of pictures, I did go through and re-find the trip pictures so I will post the Awesome Trip. I did not say when did I? I am trying to get some cards made first on Shutterfly. That requires more going through pictures to put on the computer. Will it ever end?!

Our school year has been., thus far, challenging. But, I am learning to adjust a little better than in the past. My 13yo is in the main independent, which is immensly helpful. I am trying to have a regular meeting time with him where we discuss what he's learning and I grade etc. (great idea from the most recent TOS Magazine. )

My 11 yo is having a rude wake up call as to his work habits and quality of work this year. He kind of slunk by last year with a new baby around, but this year he's got my attention! He keeps choosing to not do things on his assignment sheet and trading his 'comfort' right now for discomfort in the future. He just lost two weeks of game time because he again is two days behind in science reading and activities. He enjoys hands on, as long as a pencil is not directly involved. He is however excited about his Civil War project. He gets to study weapons!

My 8yo has finally turned his corner in reading!! I am thrilled. He shines in math, but reading has been a struggle. Oddly though, he is a good speller. My 6yo is the exact opposite. She is almost out reading 8yo brother and spells like a champ. But math... let's just say she takes after her teacher and not her dad, the engineer. But there is much time, so I'm not worried in the least.

My 3yo is very good with scissors. Very good. Tip: Don't leave a pre-schooler with his cutting pages unsupervised. There is a fine line between the table cloth and the paper. or the hair, or a book.

My 15 mo is a very good climber. And he specializes in sucking on chess pieces and old food under the table. (of course not under our table, because our house is always perfect and everyone always remembers their chores. ha) He did manage to get a strees fracture going down the slide with a big brother three weeks ago. He has a splint on for two more weeks but it has not slowed him down at all.

I'm looking forward to Jan. and Feb. and really digging in again. We seem to lose alot of momentum mid-Nov. and don't get it back until Jan.

I've been doing some theological reading in my spare time (about 1AM) I've got friends and family all over the theological grid, from Landmark Baptists to Anglicans, and I like to keep pace as much as I can while trying to live consistently what I understand. I just started Old Landmarkism and the Baptists by Bob L. Ross. So far it is very good. Not too scholarly that I need a dictionary right next to me to read it. I'm also reading Always Ready by Greg Bahnsen. Great book! I love the snippet chapters sometimes. Just enough to sqeeze in a minute here and there. I finished awhile ago a good book on the Puritans - Worldly Saints by Leland Ryken. A very telling book on how the Puritans really were. And in salute to our Southern Heritage and our study of the Civil War (the War of Northern Aggression as it's known south of the Mason Dixon) I want to read Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral. I hope to do my tribute to the south post (all tongue in cheek of course!!)sometime during our study. (self-imposed deadlines again!!) I love the South - but we are a strange people!

Other posts I hope to do soon (*there is that word again!!) one on writing - inspirations, and the book reviews that my son has been doing for me. Also I have two very good 'real life friends' who have just published books: One on infertility and adoption and one pending publication on Evolution and Creation. I really am going to make an effort to get a link up for the one book on Amazon.

Well, that's life in a nutshell right now. It's busy, but I am enjoying it all very much. Even in Florida!!

Go figure :)

Christian to Sleeper : Soon doth never come -

Sleeper in response: Nay, I have seen it come and go many times.

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Sep. 11, 2007 - Marshmallows and Linguine

Wow! Did we learn alot today in Science! We learned that two pieces of linguine taped together is as strong as a piece of fettuccine. (we were out so we improvised) And that it takes 56 pennies suspended in a foam cup hanging by string from the linguine to break said linguine. And that if everyone is watching the linguine experiment noone will notice the one year old rolling a can of paint across the room and then getting the lid off and spilling paint on the kitchen floor. We were learning about the Scientific Method and creating a lab write up. So to state the problem : How do you keep accidents from happening during science? Hypothesis: If you place the toddler in the play pen, you should prevent accidents from happening during science. We will prove our hypothesis tomorrow when we get to build mashmallow and fettuccine structures to learn about engineering and earthquakes.

Today was a big day for my 8yos. He took his first spelling test. This is a big deal because a year ago I was getting very concerned that he was making no progress in reading at all. I know you read all about children who don't learn until they're ten and then they take off, but when it's your child you get a little panicky! He has made such strides in reading in just the past month that I wanted to start reinforcing alot of the phonics and start working on that buggaboo of encoding. I have another one that has struggled so I want to stay on top of it this time. Anyway, I was thrilled. It was a pre-test and he only missed three! yah!! My other son, 10yo, is doing great with AVKO Sequential Spelling. Straight, to the point and not alot of writing. Perfect for him.

This is week #2 of 'full-fledged school' and things are going better than I had hoped. We are actually getting everything done and in less time than I thought. I'm doing History pockets with 3 of them for Going West and they love it! We just started reading Daniel Boone (in the Landmark series) . The only thing I want to work on is having more time to discuss w/ our oldest some of what he's doing. He's so independent, which is good, but I want to be involved - still tweaking the schedule.

House fixing is slowing up. Now I am just painting, painting, cleaning out and painting. Curse this trim work. We're debating now about when to put the house on the market. Partly because we don't want it to sit too long and fall/winter isn't a real active Real Estate time and partly because I don't know if I want our daily routine interrupted this fall with house showings. After the first of the year I think I can gear up for it, but it's so busy from now until the end of the year I don't know if I can do it.

The kids were disappointed today. The last offical popsicle was eaten. In order to delineate some kind of seasons down here, I limit popsicle purchasing to May through August. When the last plastic tube is empty that's the end of summer at our house :( (Of course I'll be finding plastic tubes until New Year's) They immediately begin to ask for hot chocolate, but I refuse to make that until November!!

Tomorrow is piano at 8:30 and Drama club starts back up at 1:30. Thursday is PE at 2:30 and mom's meeting at 6:30. Friday is a fiedltrip to the Volunteer Fire Dept. (the older ones got to go so now we're taking the little ones) and our oldest is starting a Public Speaking class offered nearby. (you wouldn't believe everything else that I actually said no to!) Ahh, the sounds of a nicely packed schedule. The routine of it all is so refreshing after a 'spastic' summer. * Side note - there is a CD, I think maybe Vision Forum carries it or the family that puts out the CD, but it's called 24 Hours is All You Get. Her last name is Bradrick. What a good reminder that it is ok to say NO. There are so many good things to choose from and we can't do them all - Not that we don't try! God does expect certain things from each of us and I find that if I'm starting to get really frazzled it's usually because I've taken things that weren't on the Master list. I really have to get on myself and ask, am I really glorifying Him in this? Am I shedding light here or adding to the darkness? What kind of testimony do I have if I'm getting all crazy and angry? Constantly examining that old, wicked, heart that is so intent on being a Martha.

Well, according to my schedule I am supposed to be getting ready for bed right now, so if I want tomorrow AM to go well, I'd better obey. ooooh - I forgot to go get the fettuccine. If I can't convince my husband to run to Wal-Mart I suppose I will be taping linguine together again tomorrow.

~Cindy

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Jul. 27, 2007 - Where did July go?

I have come to several realizations this month:

* Four weeks is not as long as it sounds.

* No matter how hard you try to keep everyone occupied, school planning during non-napping daylight hours is fruitless.

*If you scrape paint off doors without a sheet under you, you will also scrape paint off the floor.

*Crawling babies have Lego sonar devices in their mouths.

*If you offer a prize of a Sonic sundae, you can get the kids to do just about anything.

*It thunders ALOT in Florida.

I feel like I am starting to make a little head way in the planning department. I am almost finished with our oldest son's subjects. I just need to peruse the 8th grade Rod & Staff to make changes in the composition assignments and then I can tackle the next one! After watcing the IEW videos again, I not only understood the process much better, but I am now inspired to actually implement it!! I have History, Literature & Composition all integrated. It looks so lovely on paper :)

I am curious what some of you use as readers? I have never really used them, but am seeing a need for them right now. I don't really like the Pathway Readers, as they don't progress logically for me. I shy away from ABeka for several reasons. I haven't looked at the Rod & Staff readers but my sister-in-law is using them and likes them alot. The McGuffey readers are supposed to be good - any suggestions?

Aas I add more 'students' each year, I am really learning to appreciate the completeness of full-curriculum providers. I see how each dove tails and how re-creating the wheel each year by piecing together my own things is tedious and not very practical for me. I had mentioned that I was going out on a limb and trying a different English Grammar but changed my mind. I am sticking with Rod & Staff. I have also decided to go with BJU Science for my 6th grader. The younger ones will join us for the experiments. And I have managed to get everyone on the same 'Time Slot' this year - 1830's - to present. Only with the younger ones we will stop before the 20th century.

The interesting part will be putting it all together for our Master Schedule and not still be schooling at 7PM :) Well, my mocha is wearing off I should go. Tomorrow I'm hitting the Consignment Bookstore and then back to planning. We are also going to get the supply list together for our home projects. At this rate we should have the house ready to sell by late fall. But that doesn't mean a whole lot here. It could sit on the market for a year, or a week. God knows, so I will be content with that.

Funny of the Day: (It's always the 3yo!)

Tonight his new large ferocious dinosaur, aptly named Fred, apparently needed to use the bathroom. After a brief discussion, 3yos says that Fred needs a pull-up on, so he doesn't wet the bed. Have you ever put a pull-up on a 1 1/2 foot tall T-Rex? Me neither. Now I have. :)

~Cindy

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Jun. 13, 2007 - Back on Track

I think I'm back on track. It may not be the right one, but I'm on one .

The Homeschool Convention was great. Nothing went the way I planned, (does it ever?), but it was very good nonetheless. We took all the kids on Friday and I very quickly remembered why we usually go alone. Two of the boys went to the kids program at the Convention center and had a great time. One I could strap in a stroller, one was old enough to be a help and so that only left two to chase. haha

Thus, I did not hear many speakers on Friday, but the keynote by Michael Smith of HSLDA was encouraging and sobering. He talked about the biggest threat to homeschooling - Apathy. I'd say that's the biggest threat to our American society in general, but he really encouraged vigilance within the homeschooling community. Our government and in particular groups like the NEA, even the UN, are not going to roll over and play dead just because we have 'rights' right now. They are very strategically trying to implement things like the UN Resolution concerning the rights of the child. They are actually trying to bring this into the US under the form of a treaty. He strongly encouraged everyone to sign on their petitions to stop this in Congress when it does come forward. I believe you can check out more about it all at their website www.hslda.org. There is a good article overviewing Parental Rights issues http://www.hslda.org/parentalrights/ . There is also a new website being started by Michael Farris www.parentalrights.org .

Saturdays top speaker for me was probably Generations of Virtue, Julie Hermine. She tackles the diificult issues concerning..well, um..God's amazing plans for filling the Earth. (for G rated viewers)

I spent way more time at the Vendor hall that I had anticipated. I was still undecided on several things. After hubby checked out other prominent math programs, he still chose Saxon. So since he teaches it - fine with me! I had an itch this year to do things a little differently in other areas though. We've been doing the same things for several years and we all wanted to change it around a little.

So, up on the New Curriculum shelf this year we have :

Analytical Grammar. Why I chose this: Her approach is this; Grammar is a finite subject. There is a particular body of information to be learned and the incessant teaching and review from 2-12 grade isn't necessary. You study grammar half the year and review those concepts once a week the other half of the year while you focus on other language arts. You can do this in 1,2, or 3 years and she also has a curric. for 4-6th graders. Who is it for:I am going to try this with my two oldest. Rod and Staff has been old faithful since we started homeschooling 8 years ago and I'm not going to abandon it altogether. I think that AG may work better for my 10yos and it will streamline things for my 13yo. www.analyticalgrammar.com

God's Design Chemistry Units- Why I chose this: In the past I have used everything from ABeka full scale, as a spine for unit study, Considering God's creation, various readers, to no science at all - All the kids have tested great on the science portion of the ITBS so I see that sequence has no bearing for us. But if I study birds, insects, clouds or planets again this year I. think. I. will. scream. Who's using it: My 10yo is going into '6th' and I'd like to start Apologia General Science in 7th. Since I think he needs to ease into a more structured study of science , I went with a textbook (gasp). I like God's Design because it is very pointedly creationist, it is interesting, and while being structured it isn't to overwhelming ( like ones with teacher book, student book, activity book, test book, answer book - phone book!!!) However, because I am going to do chemistry 'stuff ' with all the younger ones too, we will do lots of hands on. I'm ordering 'Fizzy Foamy science' and a crystal kit, and some slime maker :) and a few other really cool things from Home Science Tools. Great Catalog!

Falacy Detective and Thinking ToolBox: Why I chose it: I've been waiting for somebody to get old enough to use them!! They are very funny and very good!.

History has been a major source of late night catalog looking. I purchased SOTW Vol.4 to use with both older boys - I'll beef it up for my older son. After really looking at it, I'm not sure. The bulk of modern history (1865-present) involved wars or conflicts, so it's not light reading. But I think there are a least a few significant things that happened not involving fighting (I am NOT a pacifist) so I may need to do a little digging. BUT...I'm not feeling settled with it. I love her format. It takes out so much work for me, but I'm not sold on the content 100%. I'm having 'chronological issues'. The kids will all study Modern History in depth in High School and I don't know if I really need to delve in now. My plan B for this year (or top choice for next year) is to let 8th/9th grade son go ahead with BJU World Geography course. Then I would do My Father's World Countries and Cultures with everyone else. I really love the MFW as it appears to be a 'gentler unit study'. (ToG is just too much for me right now) I like the missionary focus too. As you can see, the jury is still out here. I'll let you know what the final verdict is.

While in Orlando, we did get to play in the pool at Grandpa's, watch channels that we don't have at home ( which is all of them) and we got to visit with another homeschool family in Mims, Florida. On the way home we went to Great Grandma's to celebrate (early) her 90th birthday! She is still going strong!

Coming home from our vacation was like jumping in the deep end! I have had enough loose ends to tie up that I could make an area rug. But we're close to finishing up, the summer schedule is sufficiently packed and our evaluations will, hopefully be in the next two weeks. I can't get in touch with our evaluator and I'm starting to worry a little.

Nap time is almost over, dinner prep is calling, and I think I hear an iced java in the refrigerator.

~Cindy

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May. 13, 2007 - I'm back(again) and ToG Question

This place is a mess! You go away for awhile and look what happens! I'll have to get my Web tech on this pronto :) I've missed blogging very much but life has been throwing some tough curves this year. I'm hopeful that this week I'll get my page back in order and then hopefully have my schedule back on track to have Blog time again.

We leave in 1 1/2 weeks for our state homeschool convention, so I'm sure I'll be all pumped up and ready to write then. Right now I am frantically trying to get my head on straight for curriculum hunting for next school year. We are pushing (because I want a break!!!) to wrap up our loose ends and have evaluations by the third week of June. We've been seriously mulling over using Tapestry of Grace, but I am not 100% convinced that it would be a good fit for us. I've never been a big unit study person. I like to intersperse them throughout the year but I don't know if ToG is too much for me. I am definately looking for something to help streamline things, but I'm still not sure what that something is. I'll keep praying!

If anyone is using, or has used Tapestry of Grace and has some input, please share!

Happy Mother's Day