stuff

I know it's time to change my "header" picture, I'm just not ready yet, I love that pic! While we're on the subject, how can I get more than one picture in my header? I tried once and couldn't figure out a way, anyone want to talk me through it?

I'm cold! I have pants and a sweater and fuzzy slipper socks and other slippers on top of those on and I'm still cold. I've been drinking hot tea all afternoon. Madi put on shorts and a tshirt to wear today, I had a few things to say about that and made her at least wear a sweatshirt too. On the way home from dropping the big kids at theatre ("senior tour" where they are writing a play about conservation that they will perform at local schools this spring), I saw a boy outside wearing shorts and no shirt. It's about 58 degrees outside and cloudy! Florida kids are crazy! This confirms my suspicion that at the same temperature, northern kids dress more appropriately than southern kids. Here's why... our shorts aren't packed away, so they think they can wear them whenever they want. Also my kids have not worn their winter coats all year, even though we've had plenty of cold enough days. They aren't in the habit. That and they still think long sleeves and coats are the same thing!

Madi and I had bookclub yesterday and we discussed one of my all time favorite books The Giver. I could've talked about that book for another few hours, it went by way too fast and all of a sudden it was time to go and pick up our cute little (already one year old) buddy Landon. You've gotta love babysitting when your own kids are capable enough to run the show and you can run out to the gym for a quick workout. Don't worry I #1 arranged it with his mom ahead of time and #2 had plenty of time with him just to myself later in the evening when everyone else went to their various activities.

Madi started a different math curriculum today. Actually it was "in the plan" for us we just opted to start it ahead of schedule. She was doing Singapore Math, which I love, but she was in the last book and she was not retaining a lot of stuff like she should've/could've been. Singapore has a lot of mental math, it's almost all word problems, and there isn't a lot of practice or explanation. She was going to be moving to Teaching Textbooks next year anyway and we were on the fence about if she was ready for Algebra 1 or Pre-Algebra. We decided to just go with Pre-Algebra and start right now. She's loving it and did two lessons today. She hasn't loved math in a long time, so this is a very good thing. She plans to finish it all before the fall so she can do Algebra 1 in 8th grade. If she continues to want to do this, there's no doubt in my mind she'll be able to, when she sets her mind to something she's very self motivated.

Homeschooling high school is not as complicated as most people think. Our virtual school opportunites certainly help with this, but even with that aside, it's not really rocket science. The hardest part is having kids who are performing in plays until all hours of the night and then have a very hard time getting up and moving in the morning! Seriously though, it's not bad. I know a lot of people who are going to be entering this arena in the next year or two and I hope that I can be helpful to them. This might be another one of those areas where I'm not preaching enough about what I'm practicing. A lot of people get caught up in things like "grade level" and diplomas and I think they are wasting a lot of valuable time and energy worrying. Jonathan is going to have way more than enough "credits" the complicated part is going to be figuring out which ones to "count" and which ones not to worry about for now. Besides his Geometry, Physical Science, Ancient History, English and Spanish. He's completed 1/2 a credit in Drivers' Ed, will have 1/2 a credit in Theology of the Body (a class he is taking at church and we will add to it with supplemental reading and writing at home), we were planning on 1/2 a credit for cooking/home ec, 1/2 a credit for phys ed (at the gym) and he spends enough time working and performing at the Theatre to have many many credits there. This is only his first year, there are three more to go. Also he carried over one credit from 8th grade (Algebra) -- you can carry over up to 3 credtis from 8th grade. So here's my soapbox for the day, don't think you can't homeschool high school...you can!

Jonathan just "butt dialed" me from Theatre. Madi did on Tuesday. A mom can't help but get anxious when their kid is calling home when they are supposed to be occupied somewhere else. Everytime I see one of their numbers, I get this "oh no!" feeling, but everytime there's just some quiet talking in the background. They just like to get my heart pumping.

We officially have unlimited texting. It didn't start out that way, and it's costing more than we'd like (the kids are paying their own), but I have to say I've quickly become a big fan of texting! For future reference though, when the verizon guy says the $5 plan includes unlimited verizon to verizon, don't believe him, he's lying!

Gotta go round Jake up from playing with the neighbors and get him something to eat. Then I need to drop him off at Theatre and pick Madi up. Jonathan just has to go from one building to the other and he's got a sandwich to eat on the way. Then I get to come home and eat with Mike and Madi before Mike and I head back to Theatre to usher for tonight's show. No wonder homeschooling high school doesn't seem that complicated just figuring out who needs to be where when is far more complicated than that.