Yummy Pretzels!

I am so glad my nine year old talked me into this today. Yummy!

February Resolution: Say Yes!

Today was a day of "No's." Shopping with the kids and their incessant asking of every item they see is exhausting. Fortunately, I had several quarters to fill their pockets with candy. My plan was to keep their hands and mouths occupied with sugar while I shopped, but it wasn't too effective since my oldest shoved two handfuls of skittles into his mouth at once while I watched in dismay. Note to self - teach better candy eating manners.

Although I said "no" many times today, my resolution for the month is to say "YES." Post Christmas turns me into Uncle Scrooge. Not just with money but also with time. Christmas wipes me out. I just need some "me" time. But January has passed and it's time to spread the love.

Speaking of "me time," homeschooling parents spend a lot of time with their kids. There are times where I have been with them all day. I deal with the good, the bad, and the ugly. By the end of some days, I'm browsing online job ads and daydreaming about all that money I'm going to have once I put them back in school.

But in reality, I love having them home with me. There are more good days than bad, and kids, at least mine, behave so much better when I am actively spending time with them. So my resolution for this month is to say "YES!" Even when the last thing I feel like playing is Monopoly. I'll do it. Because that's what they want to do. And it makes them happy. And when they are happy, I am happy.

Rocket Day!

We had such a fun day!

Schools are Prisons

I have been on a writing hiatus but wanted to post this video to see what you guys think.

To Vote or Not to Vote?

I have always been a bit of a rebel (okay a lot of a rebel). I grew up in a small town that was 90% Republican and 95% Mormon. So, unsurprisingly, there was not a lot of diversity. If you weren't hard-core into religion, which I wasn't, then you were automatically an outcast. Add to the mix that I was born into a long line of staunch Democrats. Socially, it would seem I was doomed. Fortunately, I did alright, and made my way precariously through high school without too much trouble.

In my early twenties, I was what I would consider, a default Democratic Mormon. However, by the time I was twenty-five, I officially knew that church wasn't for me. Leaving the religion that I was raised with really rocked my boat. If that wasn't for me, then what was? What did I believe in? This post isn't really about religion, but it all led up to one defining moment for me. When I stopped being a rebel, and figured out who I was and what I believed in.

There are many circumstances that have brought me to where I am now politically. I'm confused. The more I research, the harder time I have knowing who to support. It seems there is so much hateful advertising, that I can barely stand to watch. All of the problems this country suffers from seem to originate from one underlying problem, government in cahoots with big business. It's obvious who is running this country and it's certainly not the people. It's not about what's best for the country, but what is best for the party, and the constituents, which happen to be either a gigantic company or a gigantic government entity.

I haven't decided which person will receive my vote yet but as a homeschooler I am always looking for ways to enrich our experiences. Ron Paul has a section on his website about homeschoolers, and what he plans to do for us. He claims he has introduced legislation to provide homeschool parents a $5000 tax credit to help pay for tutors, books, computers, and other educational needs. Click. That is a major plus for me. Is it enough to vote for him, I am not sure yet.

Fast forward to the present. I still live in a community heavily influenced by the LDS church and a red state, but now I'm okay with it. I figure I'll never fit in and I'm getting used to it. I'm a secular homeschooler (almost an oxymoron) without a political party. Instead of a rebel I'd like to say that I forge my own route. I like doing things my way. Most secular homeschoolers do.

Who do you plan on voting for?

Moribito

We just finished watching a show called Moribito. It is an anime (an animation from Japan). It has a Miyazaki feel to it. Miyazaki is the director of Ponyo, Spirited Away, Totoro, etc. It reminded me of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. We have always enjoyed watching films like this and Moribito was no exception.
The show starts out with the female bodyguard, Balsa, who takes on the job of protecting the prince. The prince, Chagum, is carrying the egg of a water demon inside his body, and needs protected by his own father, the Emporer. Balsa is hired by the queen to protect Chagum and the adventure starts there.
If you like fantasy stories, then Moribito is definitely one to try out. One thing I enjoy about animes is how honorable they make their heroes. Also, heroes are both male and female. All of my kids enjoyed this show. You may want to preview it first for younger kids because there is some swearing (pretty mild), violence, and some of the monsters are pretty scary. We watched this on Netflix with Watch It Now.
Enjoy!

Homeschooling High School

I have to admit that the idea of homeschooling through high school intimidates me. I have a seventh grader and although it's still a few years away, I feel the need to prepare. First, I started looking at my options. The schools in my area aren't bad, but I feel like it is important to allow highschoolers a lot of freedom in how they spend their time. It is a time to grow and develop your talents, and I am not convinced that the schools offer that.

In Idaho, we are allowed to dual enroll. My kids may take any classes they want at the public schools. Right now my 2nd grader is taking P.E. and music at the school. This works out perfectly since the school is right behind our house. It's just a quick trip through the fence and she's there (although it's not too fun walking there in the cold). This is another option I am considering for my soon-to-be eighth grader. But this would be mostly for electives.

There is also a homeschool co-op that I am considering for next year. It is very successful and my kids already have friends that attend. The positives to the co-op is that it is only once a week, no daily driving to get my son to class, and he will be around other students like himself. The classes seem to be quite rigorous and the variety of classes is different than the public school offers. But I would still only use it for electives.

So it looks like I will be doing the majority of it here at home. When I first started thinking about it I didn't think I could do it. How can I pull this altogether so that my son is prepared for college? I started researching and found a book by Lee Binz called Setting The Records Straight. The book breaks down how to create a high school transcript and it makes it so easy!! I am actually motivated to get started and plan on making one for this second semester of seventh grade. Not only does it show how to create a transcript but it also shows what classes are required for each year, how to grade, and how to track your students successes. Now I feel like I can do it. I think it will also be helpful with my fourth and second graders. Lee Binz also has a website at www.thehomescholar.com.

What have you found to help with homeschool record keeping?

Websites

Please know that I do everything I can to assure these are valuable resources but check these links before allowing your children to use them. If you know of any other great resources please let me know.

Science and History

periodicvideos.com

kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/ 


thehappyscientist.com

www.smithsonianeducation.org/students/index.html

Reading

reading.ecb.org/

www.kabongo.com/

All Subjects

studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/index.htm

www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html

www.woogiworld.com/

Fun Stuff


teachbymagic.com/

Money

www.thesecretmillionairesclub.org/

Testing

brighted.funeducation.com/

Science: Electricity #1

We are finally getting around to doing some science experiments. The kids are having so much fun and I have to admit, so am I. Science has never been my thing. I love learning about it but it seems to pass through one ear and out the other. We are using the Intellego Electricity course for grades 3-5 and I am amazed at how much I learned in the first lesson. No wonder I shy away from science so often.

If you aren't familiar with Intellego, they are an excellent curriculum that uses the philosophy of multiple intelligences. They have multiple grade levels, and many different courses. We have used many of their classes and have learned so much every time.

Our first experiment was to illuminate a flashlight bulb using only a battery and a piece of tin foil.

You will need:
1 flashlight bulb
1 D battery
4 x 12 inch piece of tin foil folded to make a 1/2 in. x 12 in. piece


Lay the tin foil down on the table. Set the battery on top of one side of the tin foil. Take the light bulb and touch the metal base to the top of the battery. Bring the other side of tin foil around and also touch it to the light bulb base. The bulb should light up.

It took us a couple of tries to get this right. We did a YouTube search to make sure we weren't doing something wrong. I was worried it wasn't going to work (which is not unusual for science experiments in our house) but then we got a flicker and it was so EXCITING! Merak really enjoyed it and played with it for another 10-15 minutes. Hooray for a successful science experiment.

January's Resolution: Be Happy

Phew! With this year coming to a close and the realization that a New Year is upon us, I have done a lot of reflecting. Unfortunately, most of my thoughts have been quite negative and that is not the way I want to start this new year. 

Every year over Christmas we visit a neighbor who puts on a light show timed to music. The kids love to do this and as I was enjoying the show I was filled with a sense of fleeting time. This is our fourth year enjoying this show and it reminded me how quickly the years pass by. Here we were, sitting in the car, listening to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra with LED lights flashing to the beat, and I'm feeling sentimental. What have I accomplished this year? What do I want for next year? Does it even matter?

The truth is it does matter. Accomplishments are made, not by giant leaps, but by baby steps. Little by little we become the person we are seeking. But in order to do this, we need to know what that person looks like. Who do you want to be? Where do you want to be? Or what do you want to be? I am a very impatient person and I get frustrated when things don't happen right away. But becoming something great takes time.

This year, instead of making year-long resolutions I plan on making month-long resolutions. Working on the little things that hold me back from being the person I desire. I have a tendency to bad-talk myself. I beat myself up mentally and continually think I'm not good enough. Not only is this ego-centric, and a waste of mental time, I feel it is a poor example to my children. I do not want them to follow my lead. So For January, whenever I feel those thoughts creeping, I will take steps to counteract them. Here are a few ways to combat them:

1. Make a list of everything that is wonderful. Instead of focusing on what you don't like, think about what you do. Do you have a great family? Do you have great eyes? Do you love your dog?

2. Make someone else feel good. Try volunteering, visiting a neighbor, or baking cookies for your kids. Seeing someone else have a smile on their face that you put there will make anyone feel cozy inside.

3. Get outside. There is nothing more refreshing than fresh air, sunshine, and nature. Many people suffer from low Vitamin D which not only contributes to depression, but can also lower our immune systems ability to fight infection. The sun is the best form of Vitamin D. Plan on being outside at least 15 minutes a day.

4. Write down your feelings. Sometimes our thoughts get all jumbled up in our heads and writing it down can help organize it. Once it's organized you may be able to work through some of it. And you may realize that some thoughts are just a waste of brain power.

5. Take a staycation. Look around your house. What do you have that's fun and doesn't require any money? Board games, puzzles, books, or video games. Some of our best family memories are playing the XBox 360 together. Maybe spend time at a playground, rake leaves together, or go rent a movie.

6. Express yourself. What do you like to do? Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our mundane routine that it's nice to bring in a new hobby.

7. Talk to someone. Find someone you trust and let it all out. There is nothing wrong with a good cry, and I promise you will sleep so good.

8. Blast some music. I love turning on "Girls Just Want to have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper and dancing my heart out.

9. Exercise. Not only is exercise good for you, it will also give you a rush of serotonin (the happy hormone). Plus, over time, you'll look better too.

10. Give hugs. They say 10 hugs per day lead to complete happiness.

How do you keep negative thoughts from getting out of control?