I’ve got soap and I’m not afraid to use it!

I am meeting a friend at Panera today. I got here early because I needed to write up my grocery list while I was here, and yes I cannot do that without my computer because all my recipe’s are on my computer.

So here I sit, waiting for my friend and writing very important things like shampoo, toilet paper, toothpaste and bread. And while my mind is totally focused on this very important task of procuring necessities for my family, I can’t help but hear the conversation of the three businessmen at the table next to me. They are probably a good 10 2 years younger than I am, and the way they are talking makes the mommy in me want to walk over there and wash their dirty mouths out with soap!

Now don’t get me wrong, what they are talking about is not all bad, it is work talk, business stuff. But it’s the way they are talking about it. They have belittled every member of their offices, while using every four letter word in their vocabulary, many I’ve never heard used in that particular way. They’re very creative with their vernacular, these men.

And let me tell you the southern momma in me wants to go ask them if they kiss their momma’s with that dirty mouth and then wash it out with soap! Good grief people!

You’re in PUBLIC, have some couth for goodness sake.

UGH, what is this world coming too? They look like nice well dressed respectable men, but don’t let that fool you, these boys need to be taken out behind the woolshed!

I see pretend people.

I think there may be something wrong with me. I’m like a novelist, only notsomuch. See, I have these stories in my head. Good stories, unique stories.

And people. I have these people in my head, the characters in my stories. There up there, wandering around begging me to let them out.

I have stories to tell, but the place where I begin to have a little hiccup is the writing portion of writing.

These stories are floating around in my head, getting in the way of, well, you know, reality. But I open the word document and get a few chapters in and give up. It’s not right. It’s not the story that is in my head. The people in my head look different on paper. I can’t seem to get the stories to look the same on paper as they do in my head.

Do they have a pill for this? I think there is something wrong with me.

What Worked – Part 4 The Highschooler

Here is the 4th and final installment in the ‘What Worked’ series. Just in time for me to start thinking about what I am going to use to educate these kids next year!

Will is going to be in 10th grade this year. I am not sure how that happened. One minute he was a little guy just learning his letters, not he’s a big guy learning things I don’t even remember learning.

The way we homeschool him has evolved quite a bit. In fact, I am almost hesitant to say I homeschool him because so much of his schooling is done outside the house. I am really only responsible for his History at this point.

He is old enough to start at the JR. College near us taking Duel Credit classes, meaning if he can test into the class, he can earn college and high school credit. We decided to wait until next semester to sign him up, maybe even next year. He really needs to concentrate on finishing up his Algebra 1 & 2 and his writing class this year before we feel like he is ready to take college level classes.

We did not end up signing him up for classes at the Community college 2nd semester. He’ll start in the fall.

In many ways I am less involved in his academic education but MUCH MORE involved in character training and life skills as I have ever been with The Highschooler. He has a real hard time with time management and he wants to skim over the important stuff so he can go do his own thing. He has various jobs outside the home and he now has a car to take care of. It has been a real learning curve but better to learn these things at home, than when he is responsible for taking care of a wife and kids.

He has had to do a lot of new things this year. Find and buy tires for his truck. Title transfer and other things related to car ownership. Learn how to manage school work and a job, learn to be on time. He is learning to be a man. He is learning how to be responsible. He is learning Mommy will not always be there to bail him out. These are good things to learn, they are time consuming, but they are just as if not more important than being able to solve algebra problems.

It has been hard in many ways to let go and let him fail. He has turned in papers late, or been late for jobs etc, because I have not nagged him. He has GOT to learn to be self motivated. I will not always be there to tell him what to do. He is learning that there is often pain involved in wrong choices or procrastination.

This highschool thing is hard! Suddenly we went from preparing him for the next grade, to preparing him for LIFE. Suddenly the stakes are higher. I know in homeschooling I always have a more long term perspective on education, but when they hit high school you realize that all those life skills you thought you had plenty of time to teach, have not been taught, and time is running out!


At Co op

Language Arts – He is taking an intensive, college prep writing class this year. It focuses on Essays, Sat writing, paper writing etc. There is not much creative writing in this class. Creative writing is a separate class he will probably take next year. There is some grammar and editing associated with this class as well.

This is the BEST class! His writing is so very much better than it was at the beginning of the year. I think he will be ready for the entrance exam to the community college after taking this class. He has not loved it however. In fact after we left co op a few weeks ago, he asked me in a quite outraged tone if I knew he was going to have to write a 10 page research paper when I signed him up for this class.

Biology – He will be taking the Apologia Biology class at the co op. I love the teacher; she is a nurse and really knows her stuff.

I love the Apologia stuff. We could put him in science classes at the community college next year, but we’ve decided to pay the $ to have him take the Apologia courses at the co op. I think getting a good solid foundation in CHRISTIAN based science courses is so important. Once he gets to college he’ll really need to KNOW what truth is so he is not swayed by all the non Bible based science he will get bombarded with.

Speech – This is a great class, it is not speech and debate, but public speaking. She will teach in the areas of how to conduct a job interview, how to give your testimony, how to speak in church or Sunday school. She’s going to make it applicable to what these kids need to learn, (sometimes homeschoolers get a bad name in the public speaking department)

Unfortunately the speech class was at the wrong time and he was not able to take it. I am hoping next year, but we’ll see.

Algebra 1 & 2 – This is not at the co op, but by a tutor. This tutor teaches the Pre algebra at the co op. She is my hero, because she is teaching my son algebra! He is a bit behind because they are going at his pace. I am happy and sad about this. I know I want him to GET IT not just get through the book, but I hate that my kids are behind. The plan is that they will get the last part of algebra 1 done quickly and move on to algebra 2. They are starting next week and will probably work through the summer next year so he’ll be done by 11th grade and can start geometry.

Whoo! Algebra has been that boy’s life for over 2 years. He’s going to want to burn those two algebra textbooks when he is done! His algebra tutor is an amazing lady. I only wish she did geometry!

At Home –

History – He will be doing Sonlight’s Core 100 (American History In Depth) He does all the reading himself. He reads the Readers, Read Alouds and History Readers; He is a good reader and can handle this amount. I also count this as a literature credit.

He is really enjoying the history books this year. He is reading the Joy Hakim’s Story of US as well as the assigned Sonlight readers. We’ve had some great discussions based on what he has read in those books.

Spanish – He is doing the same Rosetta Stone as the other kids, however he has to do it daily, and pass all the levels. HE did Spanish 1 last year, he will be doing Spanish 2 this year.

As I mentioned in the other posts, we no longer have access to Rosetta Stone Spanish. He will take a Spanish class at the Community College next year.

PE – He plays soccer daily with some of the other missionaries in the base. He gets up in the morning at 6 am to play. I have no worries that this kid does not get enough exercise!

Yeah, still true, he is one active boy!

That is really it. It does not seem like a lot but he will be quite busy. I hate that he is not taking art this year. He has been taking art for years and is really good but he just does not have the time this year.

This will get him 7 credits.

This is really my last year teaching him. After this year he will be taking most of his academic classes at the local Community College.

He also did drivers ed this year so he got a half credit for that and he and Bob are taking Guitar this semester so he get’s a half credit for that too.

Oy! Watch Where You're Going!

Padded Lampposts Tested in London to Prevent Cell Phone Texting Injuries

All I can say is, it is a good thing we separated ourselves from England all those years ago.

Clearly things are going downhill over there!

Don't 'Do Nothing'

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

My friends, I try to stay out of the political arena with my blog, because, well politics = boring, IMHO.

But this is too important to sit idly by and do nothing as the above quote (often misattributed to Edmund Burke as I have recently learned) says.

Read this, then sign the petition.

Whether you homeschool or not, the freedom to choose the way YOUR children should be educated is on the line. It is a slippery slope my friends. Don’t let the government begin to slide down it.

She has so very many words.

She looks so sweet, calm and serene doesn’t she. Don’t let the photo fool you. While she is sweet she is anything but calm and serene.
Have you ever heard the phrase ‘being peppered with questions’? I did not fully appreciate what this phrase meant until Ann learned to talk. Ann asks A LOT of questions. My first three children did not do this. Don’t get me wrong, they were inquisitive as most children are, but they understood that some things just are, and they could accept that. Not so Ann. She needs an explanation. For. Everything.

She is the only child I had who really did want to know why the sky is blue, why the grass is green and where babies come from. Needless to say, she has kept us on our toes.

So today Ann and I are sitting at the dining room table eating lunch together; the other kids are at co op but because Ann’s Scottish Rite was canceled today, she got to come home with me when my classes were done.

So there we are. The house is pretty quiet since it’s just the two of us. We talked about a few things but mainly we were just enjoying the quiet. Or so I thought. Ann uses quiet to listen to all the questions floating around in her brain and put voice to them. The quiet was not long lasting.

Ann: “Mom, if there is an emergency who do I call first, you or 911?”

Me: “Um, depends on the emergency (remember I’m talking to my drama queen here). If you feel your life is in danger call 911, otherwise call mommy first, and anyway you’re brothers are always here if I’m not.”

Ann: “What’s the number to the fire station?”

Me: “You call 911 and they send the fireman if that is what is needed”

Ann: “Can’t you get into trouble if you call 911 and you don’t really need help?”

Me: “Yes dear, you can get fined.”

Ann: “Why didn’t we get fined when Bob called 911?” (don’t ask)

Me: “They were showing us Mercy. My guess is, if it happened again we’d get fined.”

Ann: “Is the fine a lot of money”

Me: “I don’t really know honey, but I expect so”

Ann: “Hummm.”

I am about to go hide all the phones in the house.

We postpone the regularly scheduled post...

I’m just letting you know that the ‘What Worked: The Highschooler’ post will not be posted until Friday. I know many of you are going to be sad and you might even wonder how you are going to make it through Thursday without the ‘What Worked: The Highschooler’ post. I can only say; I’m sorry to cause pain to anyone, but it was unconsciously done, and I hope will be of short duration. (I love to quote Elizabeth Bennett whenever possible.)

You see, tomorrow is co op day. And as I have mentioned several times, co op day makes me tired. I am only capable of typing inconsequential posts on co op day, and homeschooling a highschooler is anything but inconsequential. I’ll have to put it off until Friday when I can put my whole mind to it. (I know I’m being optimistic thinking that I’ll have a whole mind on Friday)

So until then, you are free to roam about the Internet, but be careful, it’s dangerous out there!

What Worked: 7th Grade

Bob is my 7th Grader, this is what I wrote about him back in Aug.

Just in case some of you were starting to feel inferior, or you beginning to think, ‘wow this homeschooling family has it all together, and their kids are brilliant’ this post is for you.

Bob is going into 7th grade in the fall and I am a little freaked out about that. The years I have to squeeze all the information into him that he needs to know are dwindling, but the information is not.

Bob is dyslexic and has been through the Scottish Rite Remediation program that Ann is currently going to. And while it helped him immensely, he is still not the best reader, he does not like to read, and spelling…well, let’s just not go there. His handwriting is also awful, and he is a year behind in math. So academically thing are not going so well for Bob. However, if you need to build a deck, rewire a lamp, unhook a trailer, or do just about anything mechanical, he’s your guy. He is also great with people, and is a great helper. He is also a good teacher as he is patient and will spend the time to show you how to do it. (this is the only reason I know how to work the DVR) And he has a great attitude, he has a lot he could complain about, but he is not a complainer.

I don’t know what God has planned for Bob. I wish I did so I could better prepare him. No matter what he does he’s going to have to be able to read and write better than he does now.

So we plug along and do our best, but I worry that our best may not be good enough. Just the thought of that boy taking algebra gives me the cold shivers.


This is all still true, Bob is still behind in math, and his spelling and handwriting is still awful. Somehow I am not quite so freaked out about it now though. I have seen him really come into his own this year. He started in the youth group and has really become a leader.


Language Arts – I will be using the new and improved Sonlight LA 3 with Eve & Bob. He will also be taking a writing class at Co op. He will continue to do his journal writing daily, using the Love to Learn journal I mentioned in A’s post. I am quite scared of this writing class, it is going to be A LOT of work for both of us, but it needs to be done.

As I said yesterday, the SL LA went out the window but the writing class has been going really well. He is doing quite well and he has learned quite a bit. His handwriting is still horrid, but his typing is faster!

Spelling – I have tried every spelling program on the market with little luck with Bob. His dyslexia remediation teacher basically said, keep working on it but don’t make a big issue of it, and give him a spell checker.

Yeah, spelling still horrid but at least he is close enough that the spell checker gives him the correct words to choose from. This is progress.

Math – Bob Jones 6th Grade and Calculadder

Math is going quite well this year. It’s like some thing has clicked. He is doing 2 lessons every day, and getting them mostly correct. He is also using the flashmaster instead of the calculadder

History – Sonlight Core 3 along with Ann & Eve. He will read the readers, he will not like it but they are only 3rd grade readers and I’m going to make him READ them. I will probably make him listen to some books on tape that will be reading with his American history study, just so he can get some higher level thinking.

He has been doing well with our history. His reading is doing so well that I am getting him different readers from the library on his grade level we are also watching many documentaries and I am finding them fascinating myself.

Geography – Simply stated. I posted a while ago about this. I am very excited about this study. I think it will be a lot of fun. You can go check out that post if you like. (links are in Ann’s post)

Same as other posts

Electives –

Typing – He has been doing a typing program for a couple of years now. He has got to get better at his typing if he ever hopes to use a spell checker correctly!

As I have mentioned our typing CDROM broke, but he’s had enough of it that he just needs to practice what he knows. He is getting plenty of typing in, typing all his papers for his writing class.

Spanish – We have access to the full program of Rosetta Stone through the library. I don’t make him do it too much as we’re still working on the English language.

Same as other posts for Spanish, (got to do something about that) But we have added in Guitar. It is quite funny to watch Bob and Will taking lessons. They do it together and come home with a song to practice. Will practices by looking at the page with notes and reading the music, then playing. Bob watches Will's fingers on the guitar to see where to put his once, then he plays it by ear from then on. I can't get him to read the music! It cracks me up how different they are.

Classes at the Homeschooling Co op –

PE – Bob lives for the PE class. He loves it.

Writing - This is the first year he will be taking the writing class. Yikes, this will be so much work for me.

This has been a lot of work for me but worth every minute as it has really helped Bob get closer to grade level in his writing ability. (not handwriting)

Science – Bob will be helping out in the younger kids science taught by my SIL. She is going to give me some advanced notice of what she will be teaching so I can have G do a little research on the topics before class

PE Helper – Bob will also be helping out the PE teacher with the K – 3rd boys class. He is really good at helping. He really shines there.

Bob is such a great helper. He has taught the K-3 PE class alone the past two weeks as the teacher has been out. As far as I know, no other helper that young has ever been left alone with a class. (the girls PE teacher is in the gym with him class she he’s not ‘alone’ alone.

I am really proud of Bob. He has a hard time academically but he does not complain. He has such a good attitude. He is a blessing.

What worked: 5th grade

Eve is my easiest child to teach. She loves to learn, she is bright and inquisitive. Education really comes easy for her. I am glad she is not my only child or I would be a very arrogant homeschooler!

She is the child that I find myself saying ‘please stop painting the illustrations in your book and do your school’ then I shake my head and walk away wondering what I am saying.

Language Arts – I will be using the new and improved Sonlight LA 3 with Bob & Eve. She will also be taking a writing class at Co op. She will continue to do her journal writing daily, using the Love to Learn journal I mentioned in Ann’s post.

So, the Sonlight La lasted about 6 weeks. I’m not sure if it is because it is bad persay, but because she is taking the writing class at co op and she does lots and lots of writing daily in the Journal Program.

Spelling – I don’t worry too much about spelling with Eve. She is a natural speller (See! I’d be totally arrogant if she were my only child.) She wants to do Spelling Power so she can get better. We do it as I have time.

We have done very little spelling, but she just does not need it. She pickes it up from her reading.

Math – Bob Jones 5th Grade and Calculadder

Math has gone fine but as I said in Ann’s post, we are using the Flashmaster instead of Calculadder.

History – Sonlight Core 3 along with A & G. She will read the readers aloud to A. The readers will be a bit easy for her but I will be adding more reading to her schedule with the Geography study.

This is going really well. I have her reading either the reader (too easy for her) or the read aloud, or I just get a comparable book on her reading level. She does the workbook on her own and reads the Children’s American History Encyclopedia and then narrates to me what she read.

Geography – Simply stated. I posted a while ago about this. I am very excited about this study. I think it will be a lot of fun. You can go check out that post if you like. E will be doing a lot of independent reading on the various states.

Same as Ann

Electives –

Typing – She has just started a typing program on the computer. Spell Write Type.

Spanish – We have access to the full program of Rosetta Stone through the library. It will get too tough for her pretty quickly, but for now she is having fun with it.

Same as Ann, sigh. I really need to get another typing program. She has got to learn to type.

Classes at the Homeschooling Co op –

American Girl – This is a hands-on classed based on the books. They do two dolls a year. There is also a play at the end of each semester.

She also loves this class. This is her 2nd year to take it and it is her favorite.

Writing - This is the first year she will be taking the writing class.

Eve is a very good writer, she has written several really cute stories. Her only beef with this class is there is too much report writing and not enough creative writing. (I am not complaining about this)

Science – She will be taking a hands-on science class at co op.

The science class is okay, she is too old for it, but it’s better than nothing. I think we’ll probably do one of the Apologia elementary courses next year.

Art – E is quite a talented little artist. She has been taking art classes with the same teacher at co op for 3 years. Next year will be her 4th year to take art. It is one of her favorite classes.

Art class is going really well. She has some real talent, I don’t know where she got it as it was most definitely not from me. I think we’ll always have her in an art class of some sort. She really wants to be and author/illustrator.

So there you have it. Eve’s 5th grade ‘What working’

I see Him in the snow.

I know I promised a ‘what worked’ post today, and I have it done, I’ll probably post it later, but I just could not help posting about our snow last night.

I love snow. I’m a Kansas girl at heart and we had snow there; big, wet flakes that float down, leaving great mounds of fun on the ground.

Here in Texas, snow is uncommon. We do occasionally get ice pellets or sleet, or even stuff that resembles snow, but it is a rare day when we get to watch those big fat flakes come down.

I was a little disappointed that the snow fell after the kids were in bed. They didn’t get to see it. I went out last night to take photos for them. It was just so beautiful. Big, fat flakes falling softly to the ground. It was so quite, so still.

There is just something about the sound of a snowfall. It’s as if the falling snow mutes everything else. Everything becomes softer, quieter, and more beautiful. I stood outside and watched and listened and enjoyed.

It was kind of a Spiritual moment for me. You see, it’s been a big few weeks around here. Sir D was offered a job yesterday; one that we have been waiting on for some time. The idea of this job has been hanging out there in the wings for almost a year; a possibility, a whispered promise, but not spoken out loud. Until yesterday.

Yesterday he got the call. We are so excited. The job is actually closer to home so no moving. He will be a branch manager; a big change for him. One I know he will do well at. I Praise the Lord for his provision.

Also, I got my first article published. I love to write. I write a lot but rarely submit anything. It’s like I don’t really believe anything I could create would be worth reading. What could I possibly have to say that others would want to hear? But the first (okay second) time I submitted something, it was published. I think it was perhaps the Lords way of saying to me ‘I gave you a talent, don’t bury it in the ground’. I am trying to listen.

And last but certainly in no way least. We wrote the biggest check we’ve ever written in our lives. We have paid off all of our short term debt. I can’t believe I just typed that. It has been such a long road getting out of debt. All we have left is 3 months on the van and then 5 years on the house. Then we will have NO debt.

We’ve only been able to do this because the Lord has blessed Sir D at work these last 2 years. I am so very thankful. It is still very fresh in my mind those days of great stress and worry. How were we going to pay the bills? Which bill can we put off till next month? How many nights in a row can we eat beans and rice before the whole family revolt?

So I stood outside last night, listening to the soft snow fall around me and it was such a tender moment. In the silence of a snowfall, I felt refreshed. Deeply thankful for this moment in time where the Lord is blessing us. I know that in this world we will have troubles. We’ve had them in the past and I know we’ll have them in the future; but standing outside in the dark, surrounded by the muted sounds of a snowfall, feeling the snow landing in my hair and on my face and crunch under my feet. It is if I could feel God surrounding me.



I don’t want summer to come, I want winter to stay. I want more snow to fall. But summer is coming. Hot, sticky 100 degree days are right around the corner. I am going to commit to memory the feelings of last night’s snowfall, and the arms of God surrounding me.