Works for Me Wednesday

This little gem of an idea was started by Shannon over at Rocks in My Dryer. Every Wednesday, you can check her blog for a handy tip, as well as a list of links of others who are participating in this. I love this idea and have already used several of the tips I've come across.

My tip concerns saving steps in the kitchen. I have different "stations" around my kitchen. My coffee station has filters, coffee, and a sugar bowl in the cabinet directly above my coffee maker. I have sugar, flour, baking powder, and measure cups and spoons above my stand mixer. When I recently moved my toaster across the kitchen, I moved the honey (which is pretty much only used for my son's honey-butter toast) so that it is directly above it. Yes, that cabinet contains dishes, but it now has a small space reserved for the honey.

My stations accomplish two things. I'm not having to walk around all around the kitchen getting various items, and I free up space in my too-small pantry.

It works for me!

What's Been Goin' On

It's been a couple of weeks, I know. I could come up with all sorts of excuses, but I think I'll just skip it.

Here's a summary of our last few weeks. (click on images to see them larger)


We went to Six Flags in Arlington the day before the Arlington Book Fair (a homeschool convention). The park was only open to homeschoolers and it was a great day! I think the high for the day was about 80 degrees and it was just heavenly. The kids had a blast. I rode a ride called Superman Tower of Power and I don't think I've recovered yet. I will never (I repeat, NEVER) ignore my feelings of trepidation again. (Do you hear me, Heather? NEVER!).


The school year wound down with a couple of co-op end-of-year bashes, including a field day. I can't believe the year is over.


My niece graduated from high school Saturday night. Would someone care to explain to me exactly how that happened? Where has the time gone? When did she turn in to such a beautiful young woman? I realized today that she was 9 years old when Robert was born. Goodness.


Griff rescued a stray kitty a couple of weeks ago. He found her on the side of the road, barely alive. We've taken her to the vet for her vaccines and Griff's been nursing her back to health. For being a wild kitty, she sure has a calm personality. She growls and hisses and doesn't really care to be carried, but overall she's been very good. Even our own cats just look at her curiously. They don't seem threatened by her yet. I've told Griff that we are NOT keeping her. We'll turn her into a good pet and find a home for her. (Just about the time we all get attached, I'm sure.)

Our Curriculum

I don't tend to think of my blog as a "homeschooling" blog, but it is a blog about my and my family's life and, let's face it, homeschooling is a big part of it now. I see questions all the time about what curriculum is being used for what grade, so I thought I would include that information here. I'm also including how I think it's working for us. If you're a homeschooler, I hope you find it helpful. If you're not, and your eyes are glazing over at the thought of reading this, you have my permission to skip this and return another day.

We've only been homeschooling since January. I started out following the Well-Trained Mind approach to classical education. It was very helpful as a newbie to have something to follow. While I love the classical approach, I feel that with more experience I will follow the guidelines of that book less strictly. However, I strongly recommend it to anyone who is just starting out.

Items used for both children

• Bible - Calvary Chapel Old Testament - We read the Bible story and do the worksheets. I like that it is giving my children experience in looking up scripture. I also like that it is free! We supplement with Journey Through the Bible.
  
• History - Story of the World Vol. 1: Ancient Times and Activity Guide
• Science - We don't have an official curriculum for this. We've done animal studies from library books and worksheets found at Enchanted Learning and Learning Page.
• Writing - included in Rod & Staff English; copywork and dictation; Evan-Moor Write a Super Sentence; writing games from Peggy Kaye's book titled (what else?) Games for Writing
• Geography - map work from Story of the World activity guide
• Spelling - Spelling Power - This is a good program, but my perfectionist children just fall apart when they misspell a word. Ugh.
  
• Vocabulary - Wordly Wise 3000 - My feelings can be best summed up in "adequate". We didn't love it, but do you have to love everything? Robert did book B. Ruth did book A.
  

3rd grade

• Math - A Beka 3 - There are too many colors and distractions on the page for my son. We are switching to Saxon next year.
  
• Grammar - Rod & Staff English 3 - I really love this program, but my children prefer workbooks, so I may change it. I really do love it, though, and they've done fine.
• Music - viola lessons and practice
• Handwriting - Handwriting Without Tears Printing Power - This program has really helped my son's handwriting.
  

2nd grade

• Math - Abeka 2 - Ruth really likes this. We will be sticking with it for at least another year.
  
• Grammar - We started with First Language Lessons, but it is heavily oral and Ruth hated it, so we switched to Rod & Staff English 2 (see above comment about this program).
  
• Music - cello lessons and practice
• Handwriting - Bob Jones University Handwriting 2 I chose this because I think it's a very pretty handwriting style, but not too difficult. It's slightly different than what you would consider traditional school script.

It Made Me Cry

I'm a member of several e-mail lists. Over the past few days, "fighting" has erupted in one list over a particular subject. Once I saw the way it was headed, I stayed away and deleted most of those messages.

Today, I sent an email to the list. The main point of my email was that even though there had been a "fight", this group was extremely helpful and supportive and I thanked everyone for that. I've read quite a few wonderful posts over the past few days and wanted everyone to know how appreciative I was.

In response, I received a private, snarky email from somebody who was deeply involved in the disagreement. I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. I actually sat at my computer and cried about this!

Why did I cry? The contents of her email weren't that bad. I spent quite a bit of time, thinking about this. I think I've figured it out.

When you're face-to-face with someone, you usually get some idea of how they're feeling. Body language, facial expressions, etc. So, if they make a hurtful comment, you're not completely taken off guard. I was. I had no idea she (or anyone!) would respond that way. It came from left field and plowed me down. It left me feeling misunderstood and unappreciated.

Email is a wonderful, but tricky, thing. So, be careful what you send out to others. But also be careful how you read things from others.

New Links

I'm going to be adding some new links to my sidebar, but until I get around to it, I'm posting them here. I know I owe credit for some of these to others and I apologize if I forget to mention it. If you let me know, I'll give you the credit you deserve.

Blogs I've Been Reading

Here in the Bonny Glen - Blog of children's author Melissa Wiley. You want children's book recommendations? You got 'em. More than you could possibly ever need. Plus, it's fun to read about her family.

Rocks in My Dryer - She has started a "Works For Me Wednesday" series that's spreading. I plan on participating at some point, but haven't gotten it together enough to do it. (HT: Half Pint House)

Schooling Links (helpful whether you're homeschooling or not)

Here, here, and here.

Other Things (not destined for sidebar)

Here's a great article about girls (and women) and their body perception. It's by J.K. Rowling, but no matter how you feel about the Harry Potter books, this is worth reading.

I was going to save this post and add more later, but have decided against it. So, here ya go!

Curb Appeal

Griff is a This Old House junkie. He watches This Old House, This Old House Classics, Inside This Old House, and Ask This Old House. It's given him all kinds of grand ideas for things to do with our 25-year old fixer-upper. (Don't get me started on his kitchen renovation plans.)

A couple of years ago, we saw an episode where they did patterned concrete. Griff fell in love with it. Our driveway was broken and cracked and he dreamed of replacing our with patterned concrete. It was all a "someday" dream until we got "The Letter".

"The Letter" came from our home owner's association. They told us we needed to repair our driveway. After a letter telling them exactly how much money we've put into this house in the last 3 years, they backed off. For awhile. Last fall, we got another letter. After fuming over it for a few days, Griff decided maybe we should go ahead and fix it. (I think all the tuition we're no longer paying is making us feel rich. ) Of course, the way we do things, that doesn't mean a patch. That means a completely new driveway. And, while we're at it, a new back patio because of our drainage problem. And then the front walk will look old and shabby, so we need to replace that, too.

So, we did it. The last week and a half has been taken up with this project. From the teeth-rattling jackhammers to the stress of picking just the right colors, it's been quite a ride. But totally worth it. It looks fabulous, if I may say so myself.

I'm including some before and after pictures so you can ooohhh and aahhh yourself. Click on the images if you want to see them larger.

Before:




After (the walkway is dirty, so it's not the best picture):

This One's For You, Linda

Missing
by A. A. Milne

Has anybody seen my mouse?

I opened his box for half a minute,
Just to make sure he was really in it,
And while I was looking, he jumped outside!
I tried to catch him, I tried, I tried ...
I think he's somewhere about the house.
Has anyone seen my mouse?

Uncle John, have you seen my mouse?

Just a small sort of mouse, a dear little brown one,
He came from the country, he wasn't a town one,
So he'll feel all lonely in a London Street;
Why, what could he possibly find to eat?

He must be somewhere. I'll ask Aunt Rose:
Have you seen a mouse with a woffelly nose?
Oh, somewhere about -
He's just got out ...

Hasn't anybody seen my mouse?

Future Plans

The other day, while riding in the car, Robert was reading his Bible. All of a sudden, he said, "Mom, you know what I want to be when I grow up?" No, sweetie, what? "I want to be a preacher." Why do you want to be a preacher? "Because I want to tell people about God."

It put a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. My sweet, sweet boy.

I'm Not So Sure About the Energetic Part

You Are an Espresso

At your best, you are: straight shooting, ambitious, and energetic At your worst, you are: anxious and high strung You drink coffee when: anytime you're not sleeping Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Spring Cleaning

Ruthie and I spent time Friday afternoon and Saturday going through everything in her room. Every shelf, every drawer, every basket. Everything. The kids have gotten to the point that it is honestly difficult to keep their rooms clean because they have so much stuff. So, I decided it is time to pare it down. Ruthie did a great job. She is really good at letting go of things for the most part. There were a few things I had to talk her into getting rid of, but overall it went very easily. Her room looks wonderful. We were able to get rid of her toy box and fit most of her other toys into her closet. Her room looks empty!

Next, Robert's room. I walked into it late Saturday afternoon and immediately turned around and walked out again. Goodness. The Legos, the Bionicles, the Transformers, the Hot Wheels. All those little bitty pieces are overwhelming. Plus, he is NOT good at getting rid of things. I am pretty much on my own for this job if I want to actually get rid of anything. I will, though. By the end of this week, he'll be pared down as well.

It is so liberating to let go of these things. For me, anyway. I'm not sure how liberated Robert will feel. :)

Did I Hear That Right?

Griff: Did Robert just say 'ziggurat'?

Me: Yes. We studied them a couple of weeks ago as part of ancient Mesopotamia. I have lots of pictures. Want to see them?

Griff: No, I know what they are. I was just surprised to hear it come from him.

(Griff walks away, shaking his head and laughing)

I love it. :)

Health Insurance (ARGH!)

Griff recently received the option to refuse health insurance through the company he works for. We pay over $600/month for a family of 4. In looking at ways to cut expenses, we looked at our health insurance. We decided we wanted to look into private insurance with a health savings account. That would mean a high deductible, but we are very healthy and once we had enough money in the HSA to cover the deductible, we would be okay.

Imagine my shock when Robert was refused coverage because of his Asperger's. I couldn't believe it! I fully expected them to refuse to cover any AS-related expenses (of which there have been NONE since we took him off of Stattera in the summer of 2003). I did not expect them to refuse coverage for him completely. He is no more likely to get sick than any other child.

I'm part of an AS email list and I asked about this. Someone replied that this is typical. Private insurance does not have to cover anybody, so they don't cover AS. What a crock.

I'm grateful that we still have that company insurance, but what about those people who don't? What do they do? What about Griff's dream to be self-employed? What do we do about that?

Libraries

I love libraries. I have for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a small-ish town that had one library. As soon as I was old enough (which was much younger than what would be old enough now!), I would ride my bike down there several times a week during the summer. I loved it there. Really, really loved it. It was so quiet. Remember that? When you had to actually whisper in a library or risk being scolded by the librarian? The card catalog was actual cards that you flipped through to find what you wanted. I would fill out the pocket card and take it to the front desk where they would stamp the due date with one of those date stampers that have all the numbers and months that roll around. (not a good description, I know) I was so impressed when they got a machine they could stick the card into and, ka-chunk, have the date stamped on it automatically.

After I married, I discovered the library closest to our home and started visiting it. If they didn't have the book I wanted, I filled out a little slip of paper and put it in a box. When it was available, I would get a letter in the mail telling me it was waiting for me. One day, I asked Griff to stop and pick up a book for me. The librarian at the desk handed him some sort of modern economics book. Griff said, "I don't think this is right." One of the other librarians came up and said, "Oh, no. Rhonda doesn't read that type of book." She then went to the shelf and found the right one.

I tell you that story to make a point. I went to the library tonight. I had reserved several books online (after searching the online catalog) and received an e-mail that they were waiting for me. I went into the library and pulled my books off the alphabetically-sorted-by-name reserve shelves. I then went to the self-service check out. I put my library card in the scanner and scanned my own books. It printed out a due date slip and I left. I didn't once speak to, or even make eye contact with, a librarian.

While this way is definitely more efficient, I don't think it's better, and I've decided I don't like it. I believe we will start checking out at least some of our books with the librarian at the desk. I wonder what things are like now at my hometown library? I think I'll stop in next time I'm home.

Searching for a Church Home

We have been without a church home for several months now. We left our former congregation because of its ties with the school the children were at. When the elementary principal's daughter is in your son's class at church... Well, you can see the problem.

We have been visiting a church close to our home for a couple of months now. To be honest, the only thing it has going for it is that it's close to our home and there are a lot of girls Ruth's age. We just cannot get enthused about it. To me, that's a sign that we shouldn't be there.

Every other place we would consider going to church is 20-30 minutes away on a Sunday morning. That means that for Wednesday nights and special week-night events, it would take us close to an hour to get there with traffic.

I'm feeling lost and depressed and frustrated.

Please pray for us as we go through this.

This and That

Griff's birthday was yesterday. We had some friends over Saturday night to celebrate. I made tacos. Our friend April brought her "famous" black bean salsa. It's a favorite of Griff's. It had been a long time since we've entertained. I'd forgotten how much fun it is. I got Griff a couple of Monty Python's Flying Circus DVDs. (Polly!... Polly Parrot!)

The weather here is absolutely gorgeous. I think we'll do all our reading outside today. :)

My kitchen floor is broken. Really. We have this terrible white ceramic tile that we've always planned on replacing someday. A couple of weeks ago, a section of it started flexing when you step on it. Then the grout started coming out. Friday night, Griff couldn't stand it anymore and was just going to pop out one of the tiles to see what was under there. 4 tiles later... My floor is now broken. Good news, though. I'll be getting a new kitchen floor earlier than we had intended. (I'll post a picture later today.)

I did our taxes yesterday with Turbo Tax online. Even with that, it took me most of the afternoon. But, it's done and we're getting money back. (woo-hoo!) It's enough to pay for curriculum for next year and our trip to the Arlington Home School Book Fair and Six Flags in May.

I'm Addicted

It's time for me to come clean. I can no longer deny it. I am addicted to... books. Particularly, children's books.

Just today, I placed an Amazon order, went to Half-Price Books, and the library. I currently have 34 books checked out from the library. Of all those books, I think two are adult books. Tonight, we went out to eat near a Barnes & Noble. I lobbied hard for stopping there after dinner, but Griff shot me down. We're off for Spring Break next week and I'm planning on driving 45 minutes to my old stomping grounds to go to my all-time-favorite used bookstore. I'm almost giddy about it.

Yep. I'm hopeless.

Oh, and I'm completely unrepentant about it, too. So, if you were expecting this confession to lead to change, you will be sadly disappointed.

Happy Reading!

Angels in Disguise

I read something recently that reminded me of the following incident.

One of the first times my mom was in the hospital, I was driving up there late one Saturday night to relieve my dad by spending the night with her. I had not really figured out the best way to get there (boy, did that change!) and ended up on Fannin by the Astrodome. If you're familiar with Houston, you know that this is NOT an area you want to get stuck in. So, of course, my car engine died.

I owned a cell phone at the time, but had not yet gotten in the habit of carrying it with me. I was close to panicking at being stuck there. I flagged down a couple of girls in the car next to me (my engine died at a light) and asked if I could use their cell phone. They graciously said yes, but I could not remember the hospital number and, long story short, by the time I finally reached my mom's room, my dad had already left. By this time, I was almost hysterical. I didn't know what to do.

Shortly after I got off the phone with my mom, a car stopped and two men got out. To be honest, they were downright scary-looking. If I had seen them on the street, I would have tried to figure out a way to cross over to the other side. They came up and asked if they could help. They pushed my car over to a side road and told me to try starting it again. Amazingly enough, it did. They then followed me to the hospital to make sure I got there safely. I never saw them again.

They were incredibly nice and helpful. While a police car had driven straight past my stranded car, these two men stopped and helped.

I learned something that night about making assumptions about people. I also wonder if God sent a couple of angels to help me.

Thank You, Sir, and Have a Nice Day

I have a low voice. I have always had a low voice. However, when I got pregnant the first time, it got lower. I was told it would go back to normal after my child was born.

It didn't.

I can now, depending on the songleader, sing the bass part at church. I'd always been an alto, but even that can be too high for me at times. A worse problem, though, is that I started being mistaken for a man on the phone on a regular basis. I worked on my phone voice, trying to make it chipper and more "feminine". It helped, until I got a cold a few weeks ago. In the last week, I've been mistaken for a man on the phone 3-4 times.

Ugh.

My Husband Has a Warped Brain

Griff has been rereading the Narnia books. He just said, "It's fun to imagine some of these Narnian phrases being said by The Tick."

My Life Has Changed

Don't faint. I know it's been ages since I've blogged, but I have been a bit busy.

Homeschooling is taking over my life. I used to spend my internet time on a scrapbooking message board. Now, I'm on a homeschooling message board.

I used to read books for pleasure. Now I'm reading children's books on ancient civilizations to check that they are acceptable to me.

I used to spend time organizing scrapbook supplies. Now I spend time organizing homeschool supplies.

I used to fantasize about the perfect kitchen. Now I fantasize about the perfect school room.

And it's worth it. Every bit of it. I've seen their school knowledge show up in our lives, but not like this. Maybe it's just the personal satisfaction of knowing "Hey! I taught them that!". When Robert is using his new vocabulary word "din" as many times as he can in one day, it's incredibly satisfying. When a short lesson on nomads spawns many conversations about them over the week, I feel that I am successful. When I finally come to realize that actually sitting beside my son while he does his math turns an all-day battle into a 20 minute effort that results in a completed assignment, I know that God is working on me. When I'm out of the room, and I hear my children talking and laughing (and obviously not doing their work!), I know that this experience is bringing them closer together.

I knew that homeschooling was the right thing for us to be doing. I just had no idea how much it would bless me personally.