As it turns out Facebook is kinda cool.  And I'm excited to announce that I have 19 friends on my friends list...woohoo, I am loved

It is very different than doing this blog...I have to make myself "brief" over there.  I thought that would be hard to do...seeing as I am so "long winded" here most of the time.   But perhaps it will be good for me to just give short little blubs of what's happening!  And maybe it will teach me to be less wordy here...hmm, I dont' know about that....

I was just visiting at a web blog of one of my friends on facebook...and she had a section just for photos.  Now granted they have their own website...not using a host like HSB...so they have their own storage capability for photos I'm guessing.  But I was thinking of setting up a category that would be just for photos.  So that it would be easier for those visitng my blog to find pictures I post of our family.  In fact (forgive my think "out loud" here) maybe I should put a "sticky post" at the top...alerting visitors to check the Photos category....Okay, that will be something to work on this weekend sometime possibly? 

Now technically I shouldn't post about school stuff here in a post that is basically a "Random Thoughts" post...but I will anyway.  We had a great first week of school.  I think that I'm finally learning to relax more with school and not worry about getting everything on the list done...and Bridgette is more relaxed too and is enjoying all the "art" she gets to do with notebooking stuff.

I also managed to get this wonderful cough...from people at church...I don't feel sick really, just this nasty annoying cough.  And I so I'm probably milking it more than I should by being a couch potato and blogging etc. (in fact I was even IMing with another friend on facebook while I was typing this blog)  Ah...I'd probably do that anyway even if I didn't have a cough - lol! 

This year is off to a very good start!  I am so thrilled!  I think we finally have a smooth running homeschool.  Not that our first two years weren't good, but I can honestly say that none of the jitters are there this year.  Bridgette has gotten right into her school work, and overall she knows what is expected of her.   I have no idea what may be down the road for this year - I'm sure there will be curves and bumps and possibly a pot hole or two - but I know who's in control and will trust him to get us through whatever obstacles may pop up.

I am especially thrilled with notebooking - I had hoped that Bridgette would take to it very easily (tho I wasn't sure if she'd say stuff like "I don't know what to do")...and she has.  She's already done a couple pages about Colonial life and they came out great!  She really enjoys showing what she knows with a sense of humor...and I don't know if I should ask her to be serious some too, or just let her have freedom with  it all.

My friend's daughter Angela decided that I needed to have a Facebook page...I'm not sure why...after all I have all I can do to keep up with this blog and keep track of some of the other forums that I'm involved with.  But, since alot of other people at church (friends and such) are on Facebook I thought well why not?  

So yesterday I signed up...but unlike this blog...I have no idea what I'm supposed to do now.  Or how I'm supposed to find their pages.  Guess I'll have to ask Angela about that.    Are any of you out there in the HSB bloggy world on Facebook?   Does it work kind of the same way - where you can post entries like this just writing about whatever?   I know they talk about putting pics on...and I can do that here as well (although because of this site's limited storage - I have to keep the pictures I want to post on another site...namely Photobucket) 

I also have someone I "know" who has a blog on Xanga (the reason the word know  is in quotes is because I don't actually know her personally, but I follow her  blog because I went to elementary school with her husband who died about 18 months ago)  And as I write this I'm thinking I should add the link to her site on my sidebar so that others may go check it out.  She has inspired me very much over these many months telling how God is working in her life now that she is raising and homeschooling their 8 children without a husband/dad.  In fact why don't I post her site in this entry as well...NineAlone  If you go there you will see her most recent post about a Disney trip - She was blessed by some friends to be able to take her 5 older children on a Disney vacation (while another friend took care of the 3 littler ones).  I'm sure that it was a wonderful time for mom and kids to be rejuvinated!

Well - I guess that's all my thoughts for the moment...I'll be sure to update you on the progress of my newest adventure with Facebook.

Oh by the way - after yesterday's post about feeling as tho the walls would close in on me....just wanted to say that it must have been just a "yesterday thing"...although I know what really got me out of the funk I was in.  This morning was our monthly intercessory prayer time at church...there's a group of us who meet on the last Saturday of the month to pray - from 9 - 12...and there is just something about a group of believers getting together to pray that can't help but change your whole attitude!   Amen?   Amen!!!

I don't know if this is what's bothering me...the fact that this is our last weekend before we start school, and things are really going to pick up now.  I didn't want to get so involved with activities that we get burned out, but I'm sort of feeling like the walls are going to close in pretty quick.  So here I am hoping to get myself excited again about starting school.  

I've already blogged about History, Bible and Math.  So what's left,  we have Language Arts and Science and "extra curricular" activites.

Language Arts - we are using Total Language Plus again this year.  The books we are going to use are: Julie of the Wolves, The Twenty-One Balloons and Swiss Family Robinson.   Because I haven't been impressed with the grammar section of TLP, we are doing a separate grammar workbook for grades 7-8 called Building Grammar.  We will also be going thru an e-book writing program called Igniting Your Writing.

Science - we are going to use Apologia Zoology 2 "Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day".  Even tho Bridgette is technically a "middle schooler" we decided to go with this "elementary" science, first because I really liked the look of it...and second because Bridgette hasn't had higher math yet we felt that we should wait on upper levels of science that might include higher math.  And last but certainly not least, marine science was what Bridgette had specifically requested to study this year!  We are also planning to do some extra "unit" studies on some of those "swimming creatures" such as dolphins, killer whales, manatees, sea turtles, sharks, starfish and jellifish.

Extra Curricular activities - well this is where some of the business come into the picture.  We have joined Homegrown 4H this year...and so Bridgette is doing a couple of projects the first part of the year.  She'll be going to a cooking class once a month starting in September through March.  She is also doing a photography poject.  She went to a class today, and will be going on several field trips to have hands on practice.  Plus we will be doing several Living Arts field trips with our homeschool group -  going to see some plays -  Anne of Green Gables in September,  The Somewhat True Tales of Robin Hood in October, CSI Live in November,  The Hundred Dresses and Holes in March & April.

Plus we are involved in a play that is practicing for a performance in November...called Freedom's Journey.  It is based on the book Hind's Feet on High Places.  I am playing Aunt Dismal.  My husband is involved with set construction and painting as well as with some of the Audio/Visual stuff. 

So you can be praying for our family - that God gives us the strength to make it through everything.  Maybe it doesn't seem like a whole lot to some of you - but for us a decidedly "homebody" type family I'm exhausted just thinking about it all.    And I thought blogging about it was supposed to help me feel better.  Hmm...not yet.  But I also think there are some other unresolved issues rumbling around in my brain at the moment...so maybe I need to go and browse some other HSB blogs and get inspired.

The following is from volume 9 of the Math-U-See newsletter...I thought it was worth sharing even if you don't use this curriculum - Steve Demme (founder of MUS) shares words of wisdom that can apply to any aspect of homeschooling.  We just need to remember who is in control and not try and do it in our own strength!  If you use MUS and don't get the newsletter you can sign up here at  Math-U-See  scroll down to where it says sign up here for Math-U-See newsletter and sign up today - it's free!

Teaching Tip

Moses, Moms, and Math

Moses didn't feel qualified to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt.  He was frank with God about his perception of his abilities. Moses' questions may be summarized as, "Who am I? What shall I say unto them? They will not believe me. I am not eloquent."

In reading through this interaction between Moses and God, it is encouraging to note that as Moses trots out one question after another, God patiently answers each with a reminder of who He is and what He will do for him.

It is only when Moses says, "Let someone else do it," that God gets angry.

We know from our perspective, with our 20/20 hindsight, that Moses was uniquely qualified to do exactly what God had called him to do.  His education in Egypt coupled with a strong Levitical heritage, seasoned by forty years in the wilderness, and enhanced by his experience as a shepherd, made for a peerless candidate who could and would lead the children of Israel out of the wilderness and into the promised land.

Guess what?  God has uniquely equipped you to teach your children.  You were created before the foundation of the world for this very work.  This good work.  The eternal work of training, teaching, shepherding, and raising your kids to live forever with Jesus.

And ... for teaching your kids math.

At Math-U-See, one of our goals is to train teachers and provide them with tools to make math clear and concrete.  The original target audience of the video instruction, formerly on VHS and now on DVD, was parents and teachers.  And while students enjoy watching me teach math, I hope you will continue to watch the DVDs, as well.  You know more than you think.  You have been wonderfully endowed and furnished to teach your children.  Your children need what you have to offer.  While I may understand math, you understand your kids.

So when you are tempted to be discouraged or feel unqualified, remember Moses.  And Moses' God.  He has called and prepared you for this very journey.  He doesn't call the equipped; he equips the called.

May God bless and encourage each of you for this upcoming year,

Steve

May God bless you as you homeschool this year!