Vampire Grocery Shopping....

When you live in Arizona you have to get creative with a few things to avoid the 115 degree afternoon temps. 

One of those is grocery shopping before the sun comes up or after it sets...my brother-in-law has coined it "Vampire Grocery Shopping".   This morning I was at the store, coffee in hand, at 5:30 am.  But now I'm done and ready for the day...well maybe a little more coffee first.

<---- I think I saw this guy in isle 12, just FYI.



How about another mini menu?

	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY
LUNCH	Club Sandwiches Watermelon Slices	Ham & Cheese Sliders Blueberries & Strawberries	Fish Sticks Tator Tots Apple Slices
DINNER	*Crockpot Beef Stroganoff Egg Noodles Sautéed Green Beans	Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad French Bread	*Crockpot Fiesta Chicken on Brown Rice Salad

A New Year - well a new school year

 

Ok, let me be clear - I do not believe in a zombie apocalypse, this is called humor.  ;)

I can't believe I am about to start my 15th year of homeschooling.  I could write paragraphs upon paragraphs about my "calling" into my homeschool ministry, the good/bad/ugly of my experiences and defend the choice our family has made...but seriously that is so yesterday.  However feel free to e-mail or comment - if you are nice I might respond and if you aren't....

So this year I have 2 students:  Jorie who will be a freshman and Tabitha who is starting kindergarten.  It is an extreme but I think it will be fun and exciting!  I figure just when I am exhausted from discussing ancient times, literature and algebra, I can paste and paint with Tabitha!

So here are the logistics:

Jorie's Curriculum (Freshman)

1.  Tapestry of Grace, Year 1, a study of ancient times from Creation to the Fall of Rome.  This curriculum covers history/geography, english (literature & writing), philosophy, fine arts and government.

2.  Teaching Text Books, Pre-Algebra - it is like have a algebra teacher in the computer. I *heart* Teaching Text Books.

3.  Apologia General Science - a fantastic, Christian/Creation based science curriculum that is written to the students.  We are pretty free-form with science until high school.

4.  Visual Latin - This is new to us.  I actually found them on Facebook.  I will let you know how it works for us after a couple of weeks.

5.  Drama (Elective) - *draws in deep breath*  Yes my children are not always in the house as some would like to believe.  Jorie has been part of a homeschool theater company for years and will continue this year.  Sorry no link for safety issues.

6.  Photography/Yearbook (elective) - for the first time one of my kids will be taking a photography class from me and documenting their year.  Then we will put this together in a hard back book and have it printed.  I haven't decided if this will be an actual credit course or not - we'll have to see how much work and study goes into it.

Freshman Year - 7.75 credits

Tabitha's Curriculum (Kindergarten)

1.  Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons - So easy it is scary. 

2.  Abeka Kindergarten Math

3.  Tapestry of Grace, Year 1 - Tabitha will only participate in the lower grammar read-alouds and art projects.

4.  Usborne Science Activies V.2 - plants & air experiments that are fun for the 5-6 year old

5.  I am also putting together a Calendar Board like this one I found on Mama Jenn's blog.

6.  Lots of pasting, painting, coloring, clay, etc.

7.  Time4Learning - an online teaching tool that will supplement when I am working with Jorie and Tabitha needs "busy work".

We start August 1st - can't wait for the new year!



It's Fess-Up Friday!!!!

Fess-Up: To recognize, often reluctantly, the reality or truth of: acknowledge, admit, avow, concede, confess, grant, own (up).

Today is sort of a confessional of a Homeschool Mother...10 truths I don't always reveal. :P

10.  My kids have never participated in a spelling bee, geography bee, science fair or the like. 

9.  I do not raise goats, chickens or any other farm animals.  I'm not always sure about the house pets staying. :P

8.  I have done school days in my pajamas (sans a shower) more often than I care to think about.

7.  We school year-round so we can take longer breaks when I'm burnt out.

6.  I do not stand up and teach anything.  It's a HOMEschool so teaching lectures don't really happen.  We tend to gather around the dining room table or scatter to a quiet corner of the house.

5.  I HATE teaching handwriting...there I said it.  If my kids can sign their name in cursive I feel I've done my job.

4.  If you come over to my house without calling first I probably won't let you in...because my house looks like a tornado with a 'tude went through it (twice).

3.  I don't keep a record of grades until high school.  My kids have to do the work over and over and over until they get it right so it would look like they had straight A's.  I have also never taken attendence. :P

2.  I avoid talking about socialization because it makes me want to strangle people.  I know it isn't very Christian or "pc" to say, but that's the truth.  I can't believe people still ask me about that.

1.  I AM NOT PATIENT, OR A SAINT...ASK MY KIDS.  Some days I think I'm 1/2 way to a padded room...somedays I want to be there. :P

A true likeness of me...well it should have red hair.



So there you have it.  I feel purged.  So what are you ready to confess today????

McDonalds & Weight Watchers Wednesday!

Today I am writing from our local McDonalds playland.  The three younger chicks and I like to come here sometimes to do school so baby chick can play.  It is usually pretty quiet and Tabitha will have one or two other kids to play with; also leaving her older siblings alone to do their school work.

But today...today there must be some sort of early release (from a preschool insane asylum) because it is deafening in here.  There is a good chance that this place has reached its capacity!

All sorts of animal, alien and flat out crazy noises are steaming out from the slide and plastic crawl spaces.  Tabitha, who is usually very social (and more aggressive) has come out more than a 1/2 dozen times to report touching, pushing and the occasional, "no one will play with me". 

What are they putting in this food?  If I didn't know better I would bet that a packet of sugar had been added to every bite of food that touched their lips.

I have decided the only fair and just thing to do is to add a pair of ear plugs and a Xanax to every Happy Meal...for Mommy.  ;)

I am going to need a nap.

I am happy to announce

I am down 1.5 lbs this week! 

 Yahooooooo.

Happy Dance!

Now that the weather is cooling off I have got to get my hiney out and start walking! 



Friday Funny!

Funny thing happened at the Navy Recruiting Office...

This is one of those stories you hear about but it never actually happens to you...but this time it did.

My 17 year old son, TJ, has been considering the military on and off for the last couple of years.  Well he finally decided to take a leap and talk to a recruiter.

So Monday he makes the appointment and today I drive him out there.  On the way he complains of a stomach ache but says he is fine.  Like most mothers I suggested he try to poop, as that is the cure for all that ails you right?  However when we pulled into the parking lot he said he was feeling a little nauseous.  I asked if he was ok, he said yeah.  So I prayed for him and we walked on in...

TJ sat down with the recruiter and they went over a few points.  We were in one large room so I was only a few feet away watching and listening...  He looked as if he was mad or thinking really hard for about 10 minutes.  Then he asked the recruiter if there was a bathroom in the office.  Just as he stood up...

HE BARFED ALL OVER

THE DESK & FLOOR!!!!

The other recruiters were scrambling to get TJ over a trash can while I am apologizing.  He continued to vomit as I was helping clean up.  Now right here is why I won't be getting mother of the year anytime soon...

I began to giggle, snort and giggle then full out laugh.  Yes, I laughed as I was cleaning my son's yak up, while he continued to yak in the Navy recruiting office. 

Well after the barfing ceased TJ cleaned himself up and proceeded to take the practice military entrance exam.  BTW he scored very high on it and they still want him to join the Navy! 

So that was the first part of the day; what lies in store is anyone's guess!  ;P