I swear they told me to look into the sun... I think I was set up!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Birthday Recap
Last weekend we celebrated Boo's birthday by having his Godfamily over for dinner. Unfortunately, I didn't remember to grab the camera until just before they were leaving. By that time, Boo was not up to cooperating for a picture with his Godparents. I did manage to capture a quick shot of their littlest one...
On Sunday, we celebrated with our extended family. I always love birthdays with the little ones. The excitement and wonder of the moment is so beautiful to behold.
Who is more excited?? Boo, Foo, or Lem?
Trains were the theme for the day, wait, who am I kidding, they are the theme for everyday right now. Boo loves trains! He lives and breathes trains. Last Saturday our parish had their annual children's festival and we were blessed to have a real train to ride!
The older children participated in our Tae Kwon Do School's demonstration that was put on as part of the entertainment portion of the festival. They did a tremendous job. Of course, we had to include our traditional birthday kiss picture into our day...
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Boo is Two!
Another year has ticked away. Where all of those precious moments have gone, one can only wonder.
The memories of when you were so little will always be with me, as I watch you grow up even more every day. My sweet little Boo. I love you!
He helped pick out which cake mix the children should bake.
The kids had a good time fighting over who would put what on the cake!
The finished product, complete with a birthday train.
The party!
The memories of when you were so little will always be with me, as I watch you grow up even more every day. My sweet little Boo. I love you!
He helped pick out which cake mix the children should bake.
The kids had a good time fighting over who would put what on the cake!
The finished product, complete with a birthday train.
The party!
We have a Cardinal!
How blessed we are in Texas to have one of the newest Cardinals. Archbishop DiNardo was named a cardinal today along with 22 others.
Pope Benedict XVI Names Archbishop DiNardo as Cardinal Designate
HOUSTON - Today, October 17, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named 23 new Roman Catholic Cardinals.
Among them is Archbishop Daniel DiNardo, from the Archdiocese of Galveston- Houston, who reacted at this appointment with the following words: “I am deeply grateful to the Holy Father for his kindness in appointing me and for his trust in allowing me to be placed in the College of Cardinals. May I immediately add that it is also very humbling and surprising! I promise him my fullest communion, loyalty and obedience.” Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Communications Director
Along with Archbishop DiNardo, Pope Benedict XVI named 23 new cardinals from four continents to join this elite rank of the Roman Catholic Church.
Archbishop DiNardo, became the chief shepherd of the Archdiocese of Galveston- Houston on February 28th. 2006.
With this new appointment, DiNardo will serve as a member of a body of advisors for the Holy Father and while he will travel to the Vatican approximately twice a year, he will remain as chief pastor of the more than 1.3 million Roman Catholics in the Houston-Galveston area.
Pope Benedict XVI stated that he would elevate the prelates at a Vatican Ceremony on Nov. 24th.
Pope Benedict XVI Names Archbishop DiNardo as Cardinal Designate
HOUSTON - Today, October 17, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named 23 new Roman Catholic Cardinals.
Among them is Archbishop Daniel DiNardo, from the Archdiocese of Galveston- Houston, who reacted at this appointment with the following words: “I am deeply grateful to the Holy Father for his kindness in appointing me and for his trust in allowing me to be placed in the College of Cardinals. May I immediately add that it is also very humbling and surprising! I promise him my fullest communion, loyalty and obedience.” Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Communications Director
Along with Archbishop DiNardo, Pope Benedict XVI named 23 new cardinals from four continents to join this elite rank of the Roman Catholic Church.
Archbishop DiNardo, became the chief shepherd of the Archdiocese of Galveston- Houston on February 28th. 2006.
With this new appointment, DiNardo will serve as a member of a body of advisors for the Holy Father and while he will travel to the Vatican approximately twice a year, he will remain as chief pastor of the more than 1.3 million Roman Catholics in the Houston-Galveston area.
Pope Benedict XVI stated that he would elevate the prelates at a Vatican Ceremony on Nov. 24th.
Caution
Beware of a new movie set to be released in December. I saw this being advertised when the last Harry Potter came out and it looked so good. The preview stated in was in the same category as Narnia or even The Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately, this is so far from the truth, it is scary.
*** Edited to add, the name of the movie is The Golden Compass. Thank you to my loving daughter, Bean for bringing this error in my post to my attention.***
The movie is based on the books by Phillip Pullman, _His Dark Materials_. In these stories, the Catholic church is the villian. Pullman is an admitted atheist.
You can read more about this here. I plan to read this trilogy myself so that I can speak from my own impression rather than just following the advice of others. For now, I can assure you that my children will not be seeing this movie.
*** Edited to add, the name of the movie is The Golden Compass. Thank you to my loving daughter, Bean for bringing this error in my post to my attention.***
The movie is based on the books by Phillip Pullman, _His Dark Materials_. In these stories, the Catholic church is the villian. Pullman is an admitted atheist.
You can read more about this here. I plan to read this trilogy myself so that I can speak from my own impression rather than just following the advice of others. For now, I can assure you that my children will not be seeing this movie.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
15 days
That's how long it has been since my last post! At least on this blog. It seems my running blog gets more of my attention right now as I am attempting to train for the marathon in January.
I hope to post more often here and probably will with the holidays right around the corner. For now, just a quick mention of things going on in the house.
We are still very busy with The Woodlands Learning Center. It has become a lot bigger than I initially thought it would be, and amazingly, it has also become a great way to share my faith. I have been so touched by the families that come to us. They all have their own share of struggles and I can listen, sometimes offer some insights, but most of all, I can pray for them. What a privilege to be able to do so. We have been blessed by meeting these families.
The children are all doing well. Bean just returned for a "Re-Born in the Spirit" retreat and had a wonderful time. I look forward to getting on a retreat myself in the Spring.
Foo and Lem are happy and healthy and keeping busy with church and Tae Kwon Do.
Fish is playing basketball and still doing Tae Kwon Do. He is one of those kids that really needs to be physically active to keep his mind focused as well. His schooling is going well as Dad is his primary educator now. I try to do some things with him and he tells me, "No thanks.... I'll wait for Dad." My feelings are only slightly shattered, but honestly, he has been needing this time with Daddy for a long time. I am so thankful that he has it now.
Boo is fast approaching two. He loves his trains. Whenever it is time to go to bed, he cries out for his "choo choo trains" in this longing tone that sounds like he might never see them again. It is so sweet that he loves so completely. I find myself thinking about Our Lord at these moments...(I know, weird) but to love Him so much that I cry out in longing when I am away from Him. Can I truly say that I love Him that much? I want to. But do I? I suppose I am longing for the longing, if that makes any sense.
More posts to follow in the next few days, but for now, enjoy these pictures.
The boys are dancing for us...nevermind the mess!
I can't believe how grown-up he looks!
I hope to post more often here and probably will with the holidays right around the corner. For now, just a quick mention of things going on in the house.
We are still very busy with The Woodlands Learning Center. It has become a lot bigger than I initially thought it would be, and amazingly, it has also become a great way to share my faith. I have been so touched by the families that come to us. They all have their own share of struggles and I can listen, sometimes offer some insights, but most of all, I can pray for them. What a privilege to be able to do so. We have been blessed by meeting these families.
The children are all doing well. Bean just returned for a "Re-Born in the Spirit" retreat and had a wonderful time. I look forward to getting on a retreat myself in the Spring.
Foo and Lem are happy and healthy and keeping busy with church and Tae Kwon Do.
Fish is playing basketball and still doing Tae Kwon Do. He is one of those kids that really needs to be physically active to keep his mind focused as well. His schooling is going well as Dad is his primary educator now. I try to do some things with him and he tells me, "No thanks.... I'll wait for Dad." My feelings are only slightly shattered, but honestly, he has been needing this time with Daddy for a long time. I am so thankful that he has it now.
Boo is fast approaching two. He loves his trains. Whenever it is time to go to bed, he cries out for his "choo choo trains" in this longing tone that sounds like he might never see them again. It is so sweet that he loves so completely. I find myself thinking about Our Lord at these moments...(I know, weird) but to love Him so much that I cry out in longing when I am away from Him. Can I truly say that I love Him that much? I want to. But do I? I suppose I am longing for the longing, if that makes any sense.
More posts to follow in the next few days, but for now, enjoy these pictures.
The boys are dancing for us...nevermind the mess!
I can't believe how grown-up he looks!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Have I ever mentioned
how much I love Charlotte Mason and homeschooling? As I mentioned in an earlier post, we are falling into a nice flow to our days, no, not perfect, far from perfect, but for us, it is working and we are learning.
Foo was very inspired by a physics demonstration that he saw at our First Friday session. Of course the instructor is full of passion for the subject which would make ANYONE love physics, but especially my son. He has been completely immersed in finding out more and more about physics each day.
In the meantime, I've yet to pick a true science curriculum for him. He's never had a formal course in science, yet our years of hit and miss nature study, botched fun experiements, and his own curiosity have somehow provided him with a working knowledge of science terms and situations.
I would not have required him to have a formal course in science until High School and only then if he was thinking of a science background in his future. He, however, has been asking for one. He wants a fun one, one with experiments and "cool stuff!"
So, the hunt had begun but nothing was meeting his criteria, nor mine. Not only must it meet his ideals, but it must be living. It must be passionate. I decided that if it takes me several months to find a program, so be it. In the meantime, I'd let him pick different books, websites, etc to read and explore. Today, something happened. I found a website on Newton's Laws that was quite fun. He shelved History for the day (with my permission) and worked on demonstrating all three of Newton's Laws and then writing a brief conclusion. He is not completely satisfied with his conclusion and wants to try a few more experiments before he finishes his conclusion. At first he said, "I already know how this is going to turn out, but I want to prove Newton wrong!" I laughed and wished him luck. Several hours later, I found he had created a "vortex generator" out of an empty fruit can, balloon, cardboard, and duct tape. (Is there an engineer anywhere in this world that does not own duct tape??)
He went around the house all night lighting candles and using his vortex generator to blow them out. He was in heaven.
Tonight, after asking for some suggestions for a "conceptual physics" program that I might be able to do mini-unit studies with, I found a book that looks perfect for us.
Touch This: Conceptual Physics for Everyone appears to be exactly what we are looking for. If nothing else, I think it will give us a nice overview to each concept which we can then explore on our own. You can read a nice review on it here.
We have had so many years of imperfect homeschooling around here, in fact, every single one of them have been imperfect. I dare say, most of them haven't turned out anywhere near to the "plan" that I sweat and labor over for weeks on end before school begins, yet, somehow, through the grace of God, my children learn. My children are finding their own passions. It is a wonderful process to watch and to know that I haven't crammed anything into them. They have absorbed it instead.
I am so excited to watch each of them grow into the people they are meant to be. Every moment is an exciting journey that has me begging for more.
So on the days when we think, "I am doing a lousy job. I can't do this. They hate me. I'm not giving them what I should be. They'd be better off if I put them in school." Stop. Remember that HE is the one that is educating them. He is using us as the medium. We just need to listen to the needs of each child and not try to fit the child to the curriculum. As my dear friend, Cindy told me time and time again, "Do not be a slave to the curriculum (or the schedule), let the curriculum (or schedule) be a slave to you!" I am seeing the fruits of this every day. And it is sweet!
Foo was very inspired by a physics demonstration that he saw at our First Friday session. Of course the instructor is full of passion for the subject which would make ANYONE love physics, but especially my son. He has been completely immersed in finding out more and more about physics each day.
In the meantime, I've yet to pick a true science curriculum for him. He's never had a formal course in science, yet our years of hit and miss nature study, botched fun experiements, and his own curiosity have somehow provided him with a working knowledge of science terms and situations.
I would not have required him to have a formal course in science until High School and only then if he was thinking of a science background in his future. He, however, has been asking for one. He wants a fun one, one with experiments and "cool stuff!"
So, the hunt had begun but nothing was meeting his criteria, nor mine. Not only must it meet his ideals, but it must be living. It must be passionate. I decided that if it takes me several months to find a program, so be it. In the meantime, I'd let him pick different books, websites, etc to read and explore. Today, something happened. I found a website on Newton's Laws that was quite fun. He shelved History for the day (with my permission) and worked on demonstrating all three of Newton's Laws and then writing a brief conclusion. He is not completely satisfied with his conclusion and wants to try a few more experiments before he finishes his conclusion. At first he said, "I already know how this is going to turn out, but I want to prove Newton wrong!" I laughed and wished him luck. Several hours later, I found he had created a "vortex generator" out of an empty fruit can, balloon, cardboard, and duct tape. (Is there an engineer anywhere in this world that does not own duct tape??)
He went around the house all night lighting candles and using his vortex generator to blow them out. He was in heaven.
Tonight, after asking for some suggestions for a "conceptual physics" program that I might be able to do mini-unit studies with, I found a book that looks perfect for us.
Touch This: Conceptual Physics for Everyone appears to be exactly what we are looking for. If nothing else, I think it will give us a nice overview to each concept which we can then explore on our own. You can read a nice review on it here.
We have had so many years of imperfect homeschooling around here, in fact, every single one of them have been imperfect. I dare say, most of them haven't turned out anywhere near to the "plan" that I sweat and labor over for weeks on end before school begins, yet, somehow, through the grace of God, my children learn. My children are finding their own passions. It is a wonderful process to watch and to know that I haven't crammed anything into them. They have absorbed it instead.
I am so excited to watch each of them grow into the people they are meant to be. Every moment is an exciting journey that has me begging for more.
So on the days when we think, "I am doing a lousy job. I can't do this. They hate me. I'm not giving them what I should be. They'd be better off if I put them in school." Stop. Remember that HE is the one that is educating them. He is using us as the medium. We just need to listen to the needs of each child and not try to fit the child to the curriculum. As my dear friend, Cindy told me time and time again, "Do not be a slave to the curriculum (or the schedule), let the curriculum (or schedule) be a slave to you!" I am seeing the fruits of this every day. And it is sweet!
Friday, September 21, 2007
When mom has to leave the room...
and no one else is home, except the dog, be advised that the almost two year old can now open the pantry door.
(can't you just hear that dog saying, "I didn't do it, I didn't do it!")
(can't you just hear that dog saying, "I didn't do it, I didn't do it!")
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Weekly Recap
Another week going by in a blur! This was the week of the "almost Hurricane", which I really thank God passed us by because I didn't even know about it's existence until it had passed. Talk about not being prepared!
We did have some drizzle one morning this week and I was able to capture this beautiful spider web complete with it's designer. We took several shots from many different angles and it is amazing how intricate and delicate these webs are, yet they are so resilient and hardy at the same time. Reminds me of the faith I see in so many people around me. Beautiful, never-ending, and stronger than anything else on earth.
We also captured some shots of Boo in his favorite pose, shirtless. He loves to take off his shirt especially right after he has been dressed!
Here is a shot of Fish and Boo riding their cars around and around and around and around and around (you get the idea) the house...
(you can also catch a glimpse of the tiling that Mark worked so hard on)
We are settling into the school year quite nicely. There seems to be a nice ebb and flow to our days. Of course I can always find places to improve, but for now, I am content with what we are doing and I'm not going to raise the bar just to say I can check a few more boxes off in our day.
Trying to live our day as a prayer. That is the true focus of my life right now. I think this is my biggest challenge and probably the most important. If someone can see me, but they don't see Christ, I am not doing things right. I strive to do this not to "be good" but rather because I love Him. And I fail everyday. But I awake again every day to try again. I suppose much like the spider who spins her web over and over and over again, never giving up hope, but knowing that one day, the project will be done and she can rest.
Monday, September 10, 2007
The Business of Life
Life is in full gear here, well, honestly, it is in overdrive. We are so busy, too busy it seems, but in the quiet moments, we try to savor the stillness and blogging is just to much of an intrusion. So the posts are fewer and farther between. I know you all understand.
In less then a year, I've gone from a busy homeschooling mom to an even busier, homeschooling mom running a business full-time from home! We are so blessed to be in this postion and we are even more blessed to be doing what we feel God has called us to do. In fact, I believe He orchestrated all of this for us.
In efforts to recap the events of the last week or so, I'll try to recall the highlights...
First, I must mention how hard my husband has been working the past two weekends to replace our flooring in the kitchen and guest bath. A few weeks back, our dishwasher leaked, actually, it flooded our floor UNDER the laminate which caused it to curl up and separate. It was a mess that he had to deal with all on his own while I was at a church meeting. When I came home, I had a lovely shade of concrete floor.
We were beginning to get used to the concrete, but decided we should probably go ahead and tile anyway. Being the frugal (read that "cheap") person that I am, I laughed at the bid from our local Home Depot. I reminded Mark how much we would save if WE did it OURSELVES...(read that, if HE did it!) He agreed, and spent last weekend with Foo laying tile. It made for a very tiring weekend and then week. He finished the job this weekend. It looks so beautiful. He and Foo did an amazing job, but now, WE (did I mention how much I love my husband?) must replace the countertops... they just don't match!
Last weekend was also Fish's birthday! We celebrated at Mickey Miss's house. It was a tough day for the family because of some things that had been going on, but all in all, it was a good day.
who is that masked man??
We've also been busy trying to keep up with Boo. He is really an active little guy now! His vocabulary is increasing every day with important words such as
1. Cookie
2. Mommy -there is just something about him saying this that melts my heart everytime I hear it!
3. Cookie
4. Daddy
5. Cookie
6. Go!
7. Cookie
8. Bye Bye
9. Cookie
10. Hi!
11. Cookie
12. George (as in Curious)
and many more. He is growing up so fast. I can hardly believe he is almost 2! One of the funniest things he is doing is at bedtime. He loves to remove his shirt, throw the blankets out of the bed and then scream because he is too cold to sleep. He also manages to get his leg stuck in between the rails of the crib and we have to help him get it out. He has some lovely bruises on his legs now as a result.
Godbaby came for a visit the other day. She and Boo decided to compose a few pieces. They were heavenly!
We had a very odd visitor as well one night last week. Mark had made burgers on the grill and as we were beginning to retire for the night, we looked out the patio door to find a little friend enjoying the leftovers...good thing the grill was turned off!
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Fishism of the Day
While reading the First Communion Catechism...
Mom: Fish, why did God make you?
Fish: I don't know.
Mom: He made you because He is so good and He loves you so much!
Fish: And God loves you too, Mommy.... sometimes
Mom: Fish, why did God make you?
Fish: I don't know.
Mom: He made you because He is so good and He loves you so much!
Fish: And God loves you too, Mommy.... sometimes
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Be Still and Know...
This is absolutely my most favorite line of scripture. There is just such a peaceful feeling that overcomes me everytime I hear it, every time I reflect upon it.
It just so happens to also be the theme for this year's LifeTeen program at our parish. I am so excited and we, as a community, are so blessed to have such wise and wonderful leadership for our teens. They truly love the teens and the parents.
I look forward to this new school year with the goal of finding the stillness and feeling His presence.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Tiles and Dryers, and Boo, Oh My!
I just love this shot of Boo taken by Deo this past June. His eyes are so intense, yet so full of innocence. Who knew that just a few hours after this picture was taken he'd end up with a horrible bruise that is STILL not completely gone!
A few weeks ago, our dishwasher had a nice leak and the water started coming up through the laminate flooring that my husband laid himself not even 5 years ago. By the time I had returned from a church activity, I had no floor. Well, that's not totally accurate. I have a floor. It's concrete. Fashionable, yet not desirable to me. Perhaps it could be if it weren't for the paint splatters and missing quarter-rounds...
So we've been looking for tile and by some miracle, found one that we liked. Funny thing, it looks very similar to the color of the concrete, minus the paint splatters. We had a quote done and quickly decided that this would be a do-it-yourself job. Nice how I say, "we decided". More precise, I decided that this would be a "he-does-it himself, with the help of Foo" job. Did I mention how much I love my husband??
On Friday, we came home to a dryers full of clothes that seemed to be very close to igniting. The drum was no longer spinning and being 8 years old, we (again, I) decided, time for a new dryer. Off I went on the hunt, coming home with nothing. DH went out, found a great deal and brought it home. Did I mention how much I love my husband??
Also on Friday, we received the new tires that were sorely needed on Mark's car. He was able to tell me the color of the steel showing through the tread. This made me quite nervous and therefore, tires were a top priority. Did I mention how much I love my husband??
After the convention, the tiles, the dryer, and the tires, this is turning out to be a very expensive month!
Boo is officially weaned. I am sad. I miss our time together. I am trying to start a new snuggle time with him by reading to him before bed. He really doesn't listen very long before he starts flipping through the pages and going on to the next book. He is saying all kinds of things now such as GO! Banks! (as in "Jane and Michael Banks for Mary Poppins). He also says, Poppins which at any time could mean puppy, poopie or poppins.
My favorite new word is not a word at all. It is a sound he makes. When we are reading his Thomas books, he yells out "Choo choo!' in a very deep and strong little man voice! But then we see a kitty and I say to him, "Look Brendan! Can you say 'Meow'?" He says in his highest pitch sweetest little boy voice... "OWWWM". Of course my first thought is that he is dyslexic. I'm not a worry wart, much. It is very cute and I wish I had a camcorder to capture this. But I suppose writing about it will help me to remember just as well.
The girls will be testing for their 2nd degrees this next weekend. Fish and Foo are growing like weeds. Beautiful weeds.
And me, we'll I'm doing more running. If you don't see much from me on this blog, you can keep up with me on my running blog.
Business wise, we had the pleasure of being interviewed for a local online information site. You can read the interview here!
For now I must close as Boo has found my coffee (decaf) and decided to drink it. Crazy kid!
Life is Good!
It really is! We are winding down the summer here, getting ready for school and trying to reconfigure our schedule so that we balance school, work, and play into our daily lives.
Mark and I had the opportunity to attend the THSC's convention yesterday. In all of my years of homeschooling, I have avoided these types of events for fear that I would buy too much, question everything I am doing, totally confuse myself, and leave feeling like I was a terrible homeschooler and I would never figure things out.
I am glad I waited 10 years to finally go. I can see that my predictions would have been true if I had gone as a new homeschooler. While it could be quite overwhelming to homeschoolers that really don't know which curriculum they would like to use, for those who have a list compiled and know exactly what they want to purchase, the vendor hall can be quite a fun experience!
I had a list of three vendors I needed to purchase certain items from. Math U See, Classical Academic Press, and Memoria Press. I also knew that there would be several booths that I would want to visit such as Dave Ramsey's booth, the driver's ed programs, and a few others.
Initially, when we walked into the vendor hall, it was a tad overwhelming. I am not big on going into crowds, but I have learned to face this fear on more than one occasion. The opportunity to save money on shipping is a TOP reason to overcome a few thousand people getting in my path.
We decided that we would go ahead and purchase what we came for first and then stroll around the booths and see what else was there.
This was Mark's first real event as a homeschooling dad. I've been to a few smaller conferences and lots of support group meetings, but he has not had that experience. I figured this would be a nice way to get his feet wet. After all, he will be a huge part of homeschooling now that he is working from home!
Our first stop was to the Math U See booth. 170.00 later for two math courses for two children, we moved onto the Classical Academic Press booth. Mark was trying to not hyperventilate as he saw how much the math was costing for just 2 children. (we have 2 more that will be using math as well!) He doesn't usually get to see how much or what I choose because he has not had the time to be involved in this process of "planning" every year.
On to the Latin program at Classical Academic Press. I know that many, many folks love Latina Christiana. I am difficult. I can't stand it. I find it dry, boring, and not very informative. I want to know "Why?" we do things. Memorizing just for the sake of memorizing or because the student is in the "memorizing" age does not appease my sense of learning. I want my children to learn, not memorize. And if I find it boring, dry, and unmotivating, then won't my children. Therefore, when I had heard about Latin for Children on Melissa's blog, (sorry I can't find the actual post about this, Melissa if you are reading and have it, I'll be happy to link directly to it), I knew I had to check it out. I have been eyeing this set for about 6 months now. Finally, it was in my hands along with an informal logic course and a couple of history readers. Erin Davis was there and happily signed the reader that she helped to write for my son. Foo was ecstatic when he saw it. I knew he would be! Lem will begin Latin for Children I this year while Foo and Bean will finish up Henle.
I penned another check for 140.00 but before I did, I sent Mark away so as not to cause him permanent damage. I tell myself, "it's cheaper than private school, it's cheaper than private school!" Honestly, it really isn't anymore expensive than our previous programs and I feel it will be a better fit for our family.
I then headed over to the Memoria Press table and inquired about the Henle Guide for Latin for units 3 - 5. The poor woman didn't know about them and Memoria had not sent her with them. I pointed them out in the catalog and she confirmed that she definitely did not have to have them, but tried to sell me a logic course instead. Giggling inside, I politely refused and headed away. We tried their logic last year. While it is a very comprehensive course, I think the stuffing I made without water one year wasn't as dry as their logic course. I thought of how Bean would probably be upset that she had to do that course and her brother was going to get the "fun" looking one. Revenge is always sweet upon teens!! Don't get me wrong here. I do like many of the items that Memoria puts out. I loved Andrew Campbell's book and I use it in my planning with much success. I do think that a classical education can be both well-rounded and delightful. Dry texts are not delightful to me nor to my children. My Charlotte Mason influence always trumps everything else.
Having made our purchases, we strolled around. I saw a few ladies I had not seen for a very long time and it was so nice to reconnect with them if only for a moment. Then the highlight of my afternoon was seeing my sweet little Godbaby, Anna, and her parents. We visited for awhile and somehow got taken into a demonstration on Algebra. Little did I know, this was going to change everything. VideoText Interactive was presenting their product and I was intrigued. Me. The one who failed miserably in Algebra. The one who fears the A word. Intrigued. Curious. Even a bit excited! Mr. Tom Clark, the author of the program was so passionate, so articulate, and so eager to teach algebra to the world. I won't go into all of the program details, but I will say this. I returned Math U See. That's right. I returned it. I bought the first module of this program and will try it out for the next 30 days. I am so excited about this program. Did I just say that? Me, excited about that which I used to fear?? OK... this guy could be up for Sainthood!
We have used Math U See for years. I love this program. But I must admit, I wasn't quite convinced that the upper level maths were as comprehensive as what might be needed. And being the math scholar that I only dream about being, I couldn't really tell. Mr. Clark believes that Math U See is a wonderful program, especially for the younger, elementary years. But after that, MUS does not explain "Why?" anymore. It becomes more textbook like and more, "you do it this way, because...well because you do." Mr. Clark's program answers the why. He asks the why. He encourages the why. I like that.
I hope to have an update on VideoText Interactive within the next month after we've had more time to work with it and try it out. I am only surprised that I had not heard about this program before now. It has received excellent reviews from many sources, and yet, I have never heard of them.
One more mention about math, I stopped by the Teaching Textbook booth and was shocked. Sure the DVD looks cool and Bean was convinced that it would be much more fun than MUS. But if she had seen the actual textbook that came with that DVD she might have passed out on the spot. The book itself had to weigh at least 5 pound, maybe more. And it was paperback! There were 130 lessons for Algebra 2. 130!!!! I asked the man behind the table how a student would approach 130 lessons. His answer, get this...."I don't know". What? Yes, that was his answer. Well, sir... good luck with that!
We did purchase another find that was just way to neat to pass up. Drive Through America History! What fun! We've watched some of the DVDs and they are very fun. I don't know how comprehensive a history program it will be, but I didn't buy it for that. I thought they'd make a nice family viewing experience and so far, they have. We bought them all. America history, as well as Greece, Roman, East/West, and Turkish Delight. It is put out by Focus on the Family, so I feel safe that it won't have anything objectionable in it.
All in all the convention was fun. We did not go to any of the workshops, but perhaps next year we will.
I have more to post about other goings on, but I shall make a separate post for those.
Mark and I had the opportunity to attend the THSC's convention yesterday. In all of my years of homeschooling, I have avoided these types of events for fear that I would buy too much, question everything I am doing, totally confuse myself, and leave feeling like I was a terrible homeschooler and I would never figure things out.
I am glad I waited 10 years to finally go. I can see that my predictions would have been true if I had gone as a new homeschooler. While it could be quite overwhelming to homeschoolers that really don't know which curriculum they would like to use, for those who have a list compiled and know exactly what they want to purchase, the vendor hall can be quite a fun experience!
I had a list of three vendors I needed to purchase certain items from. Math U See, Classical Academic Press, and Memoria Press. I also knew that there would be several booths that I would want to visit such as Dave Ramsey's booth, the driver's ed programs, and a few others.
Initially, when we walked into the vendor hall, it was a tad overwhelming. I am not big on going into crowds, but I have learned to face this fear on more than one occasion. The opportunity to save money on shipping is a TOP reason to overcome a few thousand people getting in my path.
We decided that we would go ahead and purchase what we came for first and then stroll around the booths and see what else was there.
This was Mark's first real event as a homeschooling dad. I've been to a few smaller conferences and lots of support group meetings, but he has not had that experience. I figured this would be a nice way to get his feet wet. After all, he will be a huge part of homeschooling now that he is working from home!
Our first stop was to the Math U See booth. 170.00 later for two math courses for two children, we moved onto the Classical Academic Press booth. Mark was trying to not hyperventilate as he saw how much the math was costing for just 2 children. (we have 2 more that will be using math as well!) He doesn't usually get to see how much or what I choose because he has not had the time to be involved in this process of "planning" every year.
On to the Latin program at Classical Academic Press. I know that many, many folks love Latina Christiana. I am difficult. I can't stand it. I find it dry, boring, and not very informative. I want to know "Why?" we do things. Memorizing just for the sake of memorizing or because the student is in the "memorizing" age does not appease my sense of learning. I want my children to learn, not memorize. And if I find it boring, dry, and unmotivating, then won't my children. Therefore, when I had heard about Latin for Children on Melissa's blog, (sorry I can't find the actual post about this, Melissa if you are reading and have it, I'll be happy to link directly to it), I knew I had to check it out. I have been eyeing this set for about 6 months now. Finally, it was in my hands along with an informal logic course and a couple of history readers. Erin Davis was there and happily signed the reader that she helped to write for my son. Foo was ecstatic when he saw it. I knew he would be! Lem will begin Latin for Children I this year while Foo and Bean will finish up Henle.
I penned another check for 140.00 but before I did, I sent Mark away so as not to cause him permanent damage. I tell myself, "it's cheaper than private school, it's cheaper than private school!" Honestly, it really isn't anymore expensive than our previous programs and I feel it will be a better fit for our family.
I then headed over to the Memoria Press table and inquired about the Henle Guide for Latin for units 3 - 5. The poor woman didn't know about them and Memoria had not sent her with them. I pointed them out in the catalog and she confirmed that she definitely did not have to have them, but tried to sell me a logic course instead. Giggling inside, I politely refused and headed away. We tried their logic last year. While it is a very comprehensive course, I think the stuffing I made without water one year wasn't as dry as their logic course. I thought of how Bean would probably be upset that she had to do that course and her brother was going to get the "fun" looking one. Revenge is always sweet upon teens!! Don't get me wrong here. I do like many of the items that Memoria puts out. I loved Andrew Campbell's book and I use it in my planning with much success. I do think that a classical education can be both well-rounded and delightful. Dry texts are not delightful to me nor to my children. My Charlotte Mason influence always trumps everything else.
Having made our purchases, we strolled around. I saw a few ladies I had not seen for a very long time and it was so nice to reconnect with them if only for a moment. Then the highlight of my afternoon was seeing my sweet little Godbaby, Anna, and her parents. We visited for awhile and somehow got taken into a demonstration on Algebra. Little did I know, this was going to change everything. VideoText Interactive was presenting their product and I was intrigued. Me. The one who failed miserably in Algebra. The one who fears the A word. Intrigued. Curious. Even a bit excited! Mr. Tom Clark, the author of the program was so passionate, so articulate, and so eager to teach algebra to the world. I won't go into all of the program details, but I will say this. I returned Math U See. That's right. I returned it. I bought the first module of this program and will try it out for the next 30 days. I am so excited about this program. Did I just say that? Me, excited about that which I used to fear?? OK... this guy could be up for Sainthood!
We have used Math U See for years. I love this program. But I must admit, I wasn't quite convinced that the upper level maths were as comprehensive as what might be needed. And being the math scholar that I only dream about being, I couldn't really tell. Mr. Clark believes that Math U See is a wonderful program, especially for the younger, elementary years. But after that, MUS does not explain "Why?" anymore. It becomes more textbook like and more, "you do it this way, because...well because you do." Mr. Clark's program answers the why. He asks the why. He encourages the why. I like that.
I hope to have an update on VideoText Interactive within the next month after we've had more time to work with it and try it out. I am only surprised that I had not heard about this program before now. It has received excellent reviews from many sources, and yet, I have never heard of them.
One more mention about math, I stopped by the Teaching Textbook booth and was shocked. Sure the DVD looks cool and Bean was convinced that it would be much more fun than MUS. But if she had seen the actual textbook that came with that DVD she might have passed out on the spot. The book itself had to weigh at least 5 pound, maybe more. And it was paperback! There were 130 lessons for Algebra 2. 130!!!! I asked the man behind the table how a student would approach 130 lessons. His answer, get this...."I don't know". What? Yes, that was his answer. Well, sir... good luck with that!
We did purchase another find that was just way to neat to pass up. Drive Through America History! What fun! We've watched some of the DVDs and they are very fun. I don't know how comprehensive a history program it will be, but I didn't buy it for that. I thought they'd make a nice family viewing experience and so far, they have. We bought them all. America history, as well as Greece, Roman, East/West, and Turkish Delight. It is put out by Focus on the Family, so I feel safe that it won't have anything objectionable in it.
All in all the convention was fun. We did not go to any of the workshops, but perhaps next year we will.
I have more to post about other goings on, but I shall make a separate post for those.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Happy Day!
Boo got a haircut!
I was after Mark to get Boo's haircut for about the past 3 weeks. He was looking quite shaggy and I was beginning to look for Scooby trailing behind him.
Now that his locks are shorter, he looks so grown up. I can't believe how fast his babyhood has gone.
I think he is officially weaned. I am sad about that, but I know it was time. We are having to avoid cuddle time because he stills looks for it. I hope that he forgets about "that" soon so that I can enjoy snuggling with him before he's too big for that.
He did let me hold him while standing before bedtime tonight. We rocked for a few minutes to a beautiful Celtic program on PBS. He loves music and this was no exception. I think he was feeling his Irish side.
We are having fun around the house these last few weeks of summer. Foo has been buried in the entire Harry Potter series. I think I saw him last two weeks ago. I never thought I would resent my children reading, but I am! He is reading constantly and is finally almost finished with the last book. Me, well, I am on Book 1, chapter 2... It sits in the stack by my bed of many waiting to be read. Maybe one day, when I am finished holding babies and playing games with Fish or braiding Lem's hair, maybe then I'll have time for Harry.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Announcing...
The newest member of our "family"...
"Shu Shooorge!"
Picture Boo in his Yellow Hat around October 31st!
"Shu Shooorge!"
Picture Boo in his Yellow Hat around October 31st!
What is it that they say about time?
It flies, especially when your children are growing and everyone is having fun. And I agree it does. Whether it is seen by the fact that I haven't posted to this blog in a week,
or that I haven't seen my goddaughter in 18 months,
or that my neighbors for the past 8 years are moving away...
Time flies and it seems as though we never have enough of it to spend with those we cherish...
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Thumone lotht their firtht toof!
And the tooth fairy even came!
(I have to admit, I almost titled this post, A Fish looses his tooth, just for those weird google searches I seem to get!)
Monday, July 30, 2007
Just for today
Just for today, I am not going to complain. I am going to look around and thank God for every blessing and every challenge that He gives me. I am going to offer every discomfort, inconvenience, or misunderstanding up to Him.
How can I complain when I look into the eyes of a woman who cried all through Mass last night because her son is leaving for Iraq as an Army infantryman. As I tried to get my 5 year old to "behave" in Mass, I finally relaxed and just thanked God that he was there to make a ruckus. I wondered if the woman behind me was longing for those days with her son...
How can I complain when I have a friend who just received news that her cancer has returned. I can put an ice pack on my most serious health issue. We never know what will happen tomorrow, but today, I have my health, my children have theirs, and we can pray for those friends of ours that are struggling with health problems.
So, if you talk to me today, or anyday for that matter, and I seem to be ungrateful, please remind me of how blessed I am...
How can I complain when I look into the eyes of a woman who cried all through Mass last night because her son is leaving for Iraq as an Army infantryman. As I tried to get my 5 year old to "behave" in Mass, I finally relaxed and just thanked God that he was there to make a ruckus. I wondered if the woman behind me was longing for those days with her son...
How can I complain when I have a friend who just received news that her cancer has returned. I can put an ice pack on my most serious health issue. We never know what will happen tomorrow, but today, I have my health, my children have theirs, and we can pray for those friends of ours that are struggling with health problems.
So, if you talk to me today, or anyday for that matter, and I seem to be ungrateful, please remind me of how blessed I am...
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