Sep. 5, 2008
Home Spun strip #265
Posted in Home Spun comic part 14
 Some of you may remember the inspiration for this strip. In all seriousness, I love the closeness of our family. They get on each others' nerves at times, but my children do love each other, teach each other (and me) and are good friends with each other. Having more time together has helped them to learn patience, cooperation, how to deal with strong personalities, teasing and even bullying. Miss Sierra is a tough cookie. |
Sep. 3, 2008
Home Spun strip #264
Posted in Home Spun comic part 14
 Glitter? We got it! Glue? Sticks, white and super. Paper? Every size, shape, and color, plain and lined, recycled and reused. I've said before that it is so hard to throw things out since everything has artistic potential. In the backyard, I have been known to set aside pinecones, sticks, and bark as I rake. Marina has made some incredible fairy houses with yard scraps. Chase usually hordes any box that comes through our door. Over the summer he made a cardboard skeleton as tall as himself. Sierra likes the pads and stickers we get in the mail from various animal charities. We even turn food into art supplies. I love art supplies, and I love having kids that appreciate them. |
Sep. 1, 2008
Home Spun strip #263
Posted in Home Spun comic part 14
 As we welcome Not-Back-To-School week, I've started composing a list of the reasons I homeschool. I'm not saying we sleep in every day, but it is nice to know I don't have to be up at the crack of dawn every weekday to make sure everyone gets to school on time. |
Aug. 30, 2008
Cat Tonic
The kids have been feeling under the weather lately.... So they've been getting some rest.  Which doesn't really stop the cabin fever.  The cats have been doing their best to take care of them.  Except Dusty. She escaped again. |
Aug. 29, 2008
Home Spun strip #262
Posted in Home Spun comic part 14
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Aug. 27, 2008
Home Spun strip #261
Posted in Home Spun comic part 14
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Aug. 25, 2008
Home Spun strip #260
Posted in Home Spun comic part 13
 Now this is only a theory, but we do seem to have a high turnover rate at our school district for the position of Director of Pupil Personnel. Perhaps I've lit a flame... |
Aug. 22, 2008
Home Spun strip #259
Posted in Home Spun comic part 13
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Aug. 20, 2008
Home Spun strip #258
Posted in Home Spun comic part 13
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Aug. 18, 2008
Home Spun strip #257
Posted in Home Spun comic part 13
 I have this theory that some of the most common misconceptions about homeschooling are caused by the word itself. I know I'm not alone in this theory. I don't know of many homeschoolers who limit their "formal" education to the home. They may take their books on the road, join learning co-ops, take courses, spend more time in libraries, museums...the possibilities are endless. Many of us search for a more accurate term to describe our form of education. I'm sure some of my readers are thinking of new words for their education style as they read this. I don't imagine the word homeschooling will be replaced anytime soon, but it's fun to try to describe it more accurately. You know, for the sake of the uninformed. |
Aug. 16, 2008
Playing with Fire (no, really)
I've been itching to use my torches for a while. Today the stars aligned, the weather cooperated, and hubby fired up the grill. I did a juggling workshop today, so I was in the mood for some serious props. I grabbed my torches to give them a whirl. Enjoy the pictures!   Marina took the pictures. This last one blurred, but I loved the effect. |
Aug. 15, 2008
Home Spun strip #256
Posted in Home Spun comic part 13
 I thought you might enjoy a peek at the real life fairy house that inspired this strip. Before (in the Spring):
 This was the very latest in fairy architecture. Marina put a table, chair and bed inside. The shell is a small pond.
After (in the Fall):
 The mushrooms knocked the roof right off. It is laying on its back in the left corner of the picture. |
Aug. 13, 2008
Home Spun strip #255
Posted in Home Spun comic part 13
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Aug. 11, 2008
Home Spun strip #254
Posted in Home Spun comic part 13
 Every spring and summer, there is a building boom at the base of the trees in our yard. Fairy houses sprout up, made out of nature's castoffs -- sticks and twigs, stones, crinkled leaves, acorn caps, seed fluff, dried stems and grass. Anything will do, really, as long as it isn't alive. Of course, it is hard to enforce that rule and keep the weeds down in your yard at the same time. For more information about fairy houses, visit www.fairyhouses.com. |
Aug. 9, 2008
How I Spent My Week...
Maybe not the whole week, but at least a few days. I present the new and improved "homeschooling desk."  Look how much the cats admire it! This was an idea I've had for months now. With hubby on "vacation" from work, I took the opportunity to put it all together. He was very supportive of my work, while keeping me grounded with questions like "How are you going to keep the center from bowing?" Ha! Like I would know! (No worries. That second trip to Home Depot provided the necessary support system.) Notice the narrow shelf? That's storage for our exercise mat. But wait! There's more! Because each side is actually a shelf unit.  This should provide easy access for my lazy learners! Aren't I clever? Hubby was amazed at how fast I put it all together. So was my body. I ached for two days. But now I have the couch/daybed I've been dreaming of for years! |
Aug. 8, 2008
My Magazine Comics #4
This week's comics originally appeared in the Secular Homeschooling Magazine issue #2.  I hope you enjoyed this special set of strips. I will have new comics next week and tomorrow I will show you what I did while I was "slacking off" this week! |
Aug. 7, 2008
My Magazine Comics #3
This week's comics originally appeared in the Secular Homeschooling Magazine issue #2.  |
Aug. 6, 2008
My Magazine Comics #2
This week's comics originally appeared in the Secular Homeschooling Magazine issue #2.  |
Aug. 5, 2008
My Magazine Comics #1
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I just found out that issue #3 of Secular Homeschooling is in print. There is a funny overachieving homeschooler's quiz at the website. Now that issue #3 is out, I can share the comics from issue #2. This is fortunate since I'm still slacking off this week and I'm sure people are missing their comics. I'll post them through the rest of the week. Issue #2 of the magazine is still available at the Secular Homeschooling Magazine website, if you would like the comics in print, along with the article I wrote. The theme for this set is making time for mom.  |
Aug. 1, 2008
Home Spun strip #253
Posted in Home Spun comic part 13
 I'm thinking of taking a little break next week. I'm enjoying a moment of slacking off after being busy for so long. I can't tell you how many times I've inadvertently scheduled two or more activities at the same time these past few months. Somehow I figure out a way to make it work and keep going. I couldn't even tell you how I did it, since the adrenalin high from the experience has left me with few brain cells for my short term memory. All I can say is that if anyone can master the impossible, it would be a homeschooler. We sure don't do things easily! |