The interesting thing about starting homeschooling in the middle of the year is that we have to get caught up with the year. K12 doesn't start in the middle. We've spent a lot of time doing unit tests and semester tests to get caught up, but there are some things that just have to be started from the beginning.
So, what I am trying to say is...this semester has been SO MUCH WORK!! Spring break is in another week or so, and we are both looking forward to the break. Next year will be so much easier. :)
So between homeschooling, my new vegetarian diet, and working for the newspaper, (oh, and that stint on the Little League Board), life has been so crazy. But worth it.
And the financial aspect is improving as well. Which is good, because the last year has been extremely stressful...
So, we're here. Busy, but we're around. I'll try to post more, but I'm not promising anything. :)
Whitney
Life, the Universe, and...
I am trying to keep a great outlook on this year. Things haven't gone to hell in a handbasket, and I have a good feeling about it. We are *this close* to getting our lawsuit filed (sorry, more info perhaps after its said and done), and while I am hopeful about it, I am also a bit scared.
We are back to one car--I am pretty sure you saw the great pics of my car taken the day after Christmas. My daughter is doing fine, even though we are both currently carless. We've found a new engine for her car and we're currently saving to purchase it. My dear hubby will be the lucky one installing it.
The insurance company paid off my car completely except for my deductible (which was a relief!), and hopefully another new/used car is in my future.
I am still writing for the newspaper, and I love that. Affordable Baby Organics (whom I also write for) is for sale, and that job is up in the air. Hopefully the new owner will love the writers work and keep us on. I occasionally write for Demand Studios, but I've gotten a bit frustrated with their sorting system, so I only browse titles when I have a lot of time (which isn't now--since we've started homeschooling). I need to get out and start soliciting more work, which is in my plan for the year, but hasn't happened yet as we are still working on a routine for the major (schooling) change in our lives.
Homeschooling. Hello! So far we are still in get the routine down mode. Because we've started in the middle of the year, Steven has been doing a lot of testing to get caught up for the new semester. *k12 works on a yearly basis, so even though Steven was in school for the 1st semester, he has to show mastery of the 1st semester stuff for his grade to move on. That involves taking all the unit assessment tests as well as the semester tests. Which isn't too much fun, but we've been trying to break it up with more fun stuff like Spanish and Art...and Runescape--all electives! Well, Runescape isn't really an elective through k12, but it is a fun game, and far be it from me to ignore Steven's need for some downtime!
And we decided to go vegetarian this year. Well, I did, and the rest of the family is kinda just following along. If you are interested, you can read about my journey at my vegetarian blog: Vegetarian for a Year. The fun thing is that once we get our school routine down, we will be traveling into Vegas a couple of times a month to go to the Farmer's Market and go see Grandma...which I'm sure Grandma will appreciate.
I think I've gotten you pretty much caught up. And this break was made possible by the fact that Steven is in an online class with his teacher/mentor right now (on the awesome computer they sent to us!), so I have a bit of a break. Take it where you can get it!
See ya soon!
We are back to one car--I am pretty sure you saw the great pics of my car taken the day after Christmas. My daughter is doing fine, even though we are both currently carless. We've found a new engine for her car and we're currently saving to purchase it. My dear hubby will be the lucky one installing it.
The insurance company paid off my car completely except for my deductible (which was a relief!), and hopefully another new/used car is in my future.
I am still writing for the newspaper, and I love that. Affordable Baby Organics (whom I also write for) is for sale, and that job is up in the air. Hopefully the new owner will love the writers work and keep us on. I occasionally write for Demand Studios, but I've gotten a bit frustrated with their sorting system, so I only browse titles when I have a lot of time (which isn't now--since we've started homeschooling). I need to get out and start soliciting more work, which is in my plan for the year, but hasn't happened yet as we are still working on a routine for the major (schooling) change in our lives.
Homeschooling. Hello! So far we are still in get the routine down mode. Because we've started in the middle of the year, Steven has been doing a lot of testing to get caught up for the new semester. *k12 works on a yearly basis, so even though Steven was in school for the 1st semester, he has to show mastery of the 1st semester stuff for his grade to move on. That involves taking all the unit assessment tests as well as the semester tests. Which isn't too much fun, but we've been trying to break it up with more fun stuff like Spanish and Art...and Runescape--all electives! Well, Runescape isn't really an elective through k12, but it is a fun game, and far be it from me to ignore Steven's need for some downtime!
And we decided to go vegetarian this year. Well, I did, and the rest of the family is kinda just following along. If you are interested, you can read about my journey at my vegetarian blog: Vegetarian for a Year. The fun thing is that once we get our school routine down, we will be traveling into Vegas a couple of times a month to go to the Farmer's Market and go see Grandma...which I'm sure Grandma will appreciate.
I think I've gotten you pretty much caught up. And this break was made possible by the fact that Steven is in an online class with his teacher/mentor right now (on the awesome computer they sent to us!), so I have a bit of a break. Take it where you can get it!
See ya soon!
"Never, ever stop believing in magic, no matter how old you get. Because if you keep looking long enough and don't give up, sooner or later you're going to find Mary Poppins. And if you're really luck, maybe even get a purple balloon."~TC Keller (Steve Kluger)
From My Most Excellent Year - A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, & Fenway Park
A New Year and a ...New School?
No, we're not moving. Yes, it's the middle of the year. We have decided to homeschool Steven for the rest of the year. Or, kinda homeschool him. :) We are transferring him to Nevada Virtual Academy, which utilizes the awesome K-12 curriculum, but is still considered "public school".
This isn't a decision that we entered into lightly. Our daughter started disliking school in the 7th grade, and it just went downhill from there. Steven has been asking for quite a while to be homeschooled, but his grades are now starting to slip, so we did a lot of soul searching and question asking, and finally made the decision.
And now I'm excited about it. Is that weird?
So, in addition to writing, now I get to teach as well. It really is a new year!
This isn't a decision that we entered into lightly. Our daughter started disliking school in the 7th grade, and it just went downhill from there. Steven has been asking for quite a while to be homeschooled, but his grades are now starting to slip, so we did a lot of soul searching and question asking, and finally made the decision.
And now I'm excited about it. Is that weird?
So, in addition to writing, now I get to teach as well. It really is a new year!
A Don't List for 2010
From the Cozi Family Website:
A Don't List for 2010
by Martha Brockenbrough
Martha shares 15 things to NOT do in 2010
-Martha Brockenbrough
A Don't List for 2010
by Martha Brockenbrough
Martha shares 15 things to NOT do in 2010
- Don’t forget to take time off.
- Don’t forget to try new things—new restaurants, new stores, new recipes.
- Don’t clean where no one looks.
- Don’t compare your house or your kids or your life with anyone else’s.
- Don’t hang on to things you don’t need, things that don’t work, or things that aren’t useful or beautiful.
- Don’t volunteer for anything with subcommittees.
- Don’t try to repair a bedroom ceiling with super glue.
- Don’t over-bake the chocolate chip cookies.
- Don’t stay up late just because you’re a grownup. Falling asleep at 8 p.m. can be awesome.
- Don’t read magazines just because you subscribed. Magazines aren’t homework.
- Don’t turn on the TV just to see what’s on. Read a book, have a conversation, or get some sleep instead.
- Don’t hang on to old jeans that are too tight, underwear with holes, or bras that pinch.
- Don’t offer to do something you don’t really want to do.
- Don’t answer the phone if you don’t want to talk to anyone.
- Don’t forget to nap if you need to.
-Martha Brockenbrough
Best Christmas EVER!!!
LOL! This is really true. This year has been so tough for me mentally, and this season in particular. Usually Christmas is my favorite holiday. As The Ghost of Christmas Present sings "Wherever you find love, it feels like Christmas." This is how I feel. But, like I said, this year has been tough. Mentally, financially. You name it.
But...
Let me tell you a little story. Christmas eve has come, and there are gifts under the tree (modest gifts, but gifts, nonetheless). We've eaten our traditional rib roast. We have company over and we are watching our traditional Christmas Eve movie: White Christmas.
Morgaine calls to tell me she's just over an hour away from home and to be looking for her. Life is good. Five minutes later...FIVE MINUTES...I get a phone call from an unknown phone number. I answer and it is Morgaine, crying. She has wrecked the car and is calling to tell me that she's sorry. I ask her if she's ok, and she mumbles "yes" and apologizes (again) for wrecking the car. I tell her I don't care about the car...I just want to make sure she is ok.
Mom and I get in the car...Pat and Steven stay home and see Frostie (our guest) off. Just outside of Mesquite...now in the state of AZ on our way to Utah, the Utah Highway Patrol calls my cell to tell me that Morgaine has had an accident and that they are transporting her to Dixie Regional Hospital in St. George, UT. About 30 minutes later we arrive there and they are just releasing Morgaine, who has a concussion, whiplash, and some bruises, BUT IS OK.
By this time it is officially Christmas in Utah, and by the time we get home, it is Christmas. What Morgaine remembers is this: she saw something in the road (an animal? we may never know and she says it gets foggy when she tries to focus on it) and swerves. She overcorrects and goes into the median, which is a big V. At this point the car starts rolling and ends up on its roof in oncoming traffic. Luckily the people coming towards her see her in time and stop. She manages to get out of the car by unhooking her seatbelt and crawling through the back. The people who have stopped get her out of the road and wait with her until UHP gets there. She used their phone to call me.
UHP decided no one was at fault, so there was no ticket issued. She had to stay up all night because of the concussion (why can't you sleep if you have a concussion?). Her eyes were all screwy until about 24 hours later, and of course she had a massive headache.
UHP, First Responders, and Emergency Room Doctors all told her that she is extremely lucky to be alive.
Which is my Christmas present. My daughter is alive and I am so incredibly grateful. And grateful is all I can feel. Part of me keeps thinking I should feel awful about this...just another straw on the camel's back. But all I feel is lucky and grateful that my daughter is here and safe and alive.
So our modest Christmas turned out awesome. Every time I tell someone how great my Christmas was, I get this look..."oh, how awful!" But, they just don't get it. I almost lost her, but I didn't.
Thank you for that, Powers that Be...
