Showing posts with label Homeschooling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homeschooling. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

We Are Alive!

Well, its been what? Two months since I’ve written anything? That and more! And it hasn’t been for lack of writing material, that is for sure! For one thing, I think some of you may be wondering how Andrew has fared since his accident: He is all healed up and back to work… for two months now. The kids cried when he started up again! Well, who am I kidding? I did too! Though we don’t recommend parking your car next to a telephone pole at 30 mph, it sure provided a wonderful season of family time.


Since that time, a lot has been going on in our neck of the woods!! Abigail lost her first two teeth, we’ve expanded and planted our garden, built fences, chased chickens, and added a trampoline for added chaos. We’ve put away the winter coats and hats and boots (well, almost! They are washed and ready for the tote – if I will ever go stuff them in!), we’ve brought out the bikes. The kids have started building a fort in the woods, there has been much digging in dirt, moving stones, jumping in mud, and splashing in our very full and bubbling brook. (For a time, I was washing 2 EXTRA loads of laundry a day, just to keep up with the wet and muddy clothes! Now that the mud is basically gone and the heat of summer is here, we let the wet things dry on the kids.) We’re plodding on with the school work – math lessons are a-l-m-o-s-t done for this year – and we’ve enjoyed our hands-on science lessons that the spring had ushered in. Fortunately, there have been enough rainy days to make it easy to keep up on reading. One day at breakfast last week, Abigail said, “I prayed to God last night that he would make today a rainy day so that I could curl up with a book all day!” Yeah – like mother, like daughter! I’ve been getting materials together and making lists of things to order for the next school year, and I’ve started preparing our final quarterly report. Hooray!


Spring has also brought the arrival of many new babies! We’ve friends and family that have either had new little ones or are impatiently waiting for the arrival overdue babes. (Waiting to hear, Lacey!!)


So, here we are! Spring is almost past, Summer is around the corner! I can’t guarantee that I’ll be any more faithful in writing, but I would LIKE to be! I have lots of lovely pictures that I’m planning on adding to our SmugMug account; I’ll post a link when I get that done (hopefully before snow flies!) Oh! And we have a budding photographer! Abigail has demonstrated a keen eye for beauty, and a steady hand for snapping photos – most of which are in focus! I’ll add an album of her masterpieces on SmugMug as well.


We hope the warm weather find you well – and drying out! And Oh! Guess what! Today is our anniversary! We’ve been married 9 years! Can you believe it? Nine years with my best friend – it has gone by in a flash… yet its hard to recall a time without the Carpenter in my life. He is so good to me! And look! Four beautiful babies as evidence of our love! Its been a good nine years!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Alas! Dark Clouds Have Gathered!

Oh, woe of woes! Yesterday, I discovered that this final year of regulation free bliss is not to be! Since kindergarten is optional, I THOUGHT that I didn't have to notify anyone of our intent to homeschool until next year. But, I had missed the clause that states something along the lines of "... unless the child turns 6 on or before December 1st." We missed the deadline by 5 days. So, here it begins! Fortunately, in attempting to prepare myself for the inevitable, I have been keeping track of the things we've been doing, the books we've read, etc. But, that doesn't lesson the feeling of impending storm. My internal barometer has gone haywire and I find myself getting all uptight about rules, regulations, standardized testing, reports and all the other mandatory rigamarole that NY State has. *sigh* Part of me REALLY, REALLY doesn't want to homeschool in NY!!! Ah well. One day at a time!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Sharp-Shooter and Schooling

Yep. I'm now a sharp-shooter. (For today, at least.) I shot a squirrel (for Elroy to eat) on the first shot. The bullet went in right under the poor, unsuspecting creature's chin, dead center. I was so shocked that I actually hit the critter that I forgot to feel remotely sorry that I ended it's life (but when I did think of it, I only gave it a fleeting thought as the bugger had ben in my garden!!!)

Onto a completely different topic: Homeschooling
You probably know that we are planning on homeschooling. We've unofficially been doing it for 5 years now! Well, I was absolutely dreading July 1st, the date I THOUGHT I had to register Abbi with the local school district. Last night I was filled with elation as I discovered that I don't have to do a thing until NEXT year, when she is 6! Hip hip, HOORAY!!!