NaBloPoMo: End of the Jumping

Friday, June 29, 2012
Talk about this idea: it's not the jump you have to worry about; it's the landing.

yeah .... it's the landing that hurts.... jumping feels like flying

And I LOVE flying.

I'll have to mull this one over, maybe I'll come back to it later...

Someday ... I'm going to learn how to defy gravity - I do it all the time in my sleep!

Thursday, June 28, 2012
How do you jump into starting a new blog post?

Well, I start ..

Then I erase it and try something else....

Then I go check facebook ...

Then I ramble it off from start to finish.

Then I go check Blog Frog and BlogHer ...

Then I read what I wrote, add a ton ...

Then I erase half of it.

Schedule it to post

Sometimes .... it actually makes it to posting time!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Do your thoughts jump around or glide?

My thoughts jump ... they have never glided.

People who don't know me very well, find this alarming.

Conversations will get off of the beaten path ...  I might start talking about birds.

I had several growing up ... birds ...

I had a sweet tiny finch and I named him Prince Charming.

Once day I came home from Bible Quizzing, and found out the cat had eaten him, all we found was a tiny little foot.

I like cats too ... but NOT that day.  Mostly I was mad that somebody had opened my bedroom door.

We went and bought me a new finch ... but came home with ...

a parakeet named Sunshine.  She was a delight.  Yellow - my favorite color.

But I don't like bright glaring yellow, but a more golden yellow, but not as orange as a box of crayons.

I really like crayons ... when I was teaching, the kids who had crayons only bought one box the entire school year.  But the kids with other brands were replacing theirs every few months.

Yeah, I have trouble with jumping.

Sunshine loved to pop bubbles.

Both of my Sunshines have been bubble poppers.

Bubbles drive me nuts ... kids are always spilling them.

But I like to watch them float.

Oh yeah, we're suppose to be jumping ... 

Trampoline anyone?

Tuesday, June 26, 2012
How do you feel about sky diving?

It was on my "bucket list" once upon a time.

But I've long since shoved that list in a back drawer and nearly forgotten it.

The world has changed in the last 25 years ... I've changed.

Now my thoughts center around spending time with my family, my children, and my friends.

Maybe if we had money to spare and enough to travel and do things ... maybe ...

Maybe if I were healthier and skinnier .... maybe ...

and Maybe not.

Right now, my bucket list merely focuses on surviving - making do, and figuring out how to do without.

So I guess my bucket list these days  would look something like.

1.  Spend time with family, children, friends, and church.

2.  Look forward to heaven.

3.  Read in spare time.  And thanks to my Kindle that was gifted to me - I am reading again!

4.  Have a successful Blog.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Would you ever go bungee jumping?




Maybe I would have as a teen - but I have no desire to do so at 44.

Crunchy Leaf Pictures

The other day I saw a great idea on one of the blogs that I follow. Crunchy Leaf Pictures

We had to try it out!

So we took a walk on the wild side - DOWN INTO THE WOODS.

It was just me and the 3 preschoolers and their bags for the leaves. We traipsed down across the yard and down to where I KNEW there were tons of leaves. I was a little worried about snakes under all of those leaves. We do live out in the country.

Then we pretended to get lost in the woods. At least I knew where we were - it's only 6 acres. But for kids who were walking through grass and brambles nearly as big as they were... WOW.

They couldn't wait to tell about their big adventure - oh, and they did remember to pick up the leaves - but we just barely had enough!

We opted to do it outside.

I figured they could crunch the leaves inside the bags - there was still some coughing, sneezing, and eye rubbing.

Story came out to help, and brought old computer paper and glue.

I put patterns and shapes that we have been learning onto the paper.

At first we tried scooping out the leaves onto the paper - but that didn't work.

Then we noticed that stuff was falling out of the hole in Joel's bag. And putting holes into the other 2 bags was just the ticket. It was sort of like cake decorating.

They had a blast, and were very ready for their naps after that.

We also tried glueing whole leaves into paper plates at Cubbies on Sunday.
The kids drew a picture in the center,
and the leaves were glued around the edges.
I turned out really good!




This post was originally posted back in Nov. 2008.
It is amazing to me just how much Scholar has grown up.

I continued to use this idea over and over.
During the spring and summer,
we pasted sand, tore up green leaves,
or pulled tiny leaves off plants,
flower petals,
and even bark one day.

And of course, with over 4 acres of woods,
we had plenty of brown leaves to scoop
and crush all year long!

What We Are Buying for Our School Year 2012 - 2013

Buying school books each year is expensive, especially when you don't have a job.  So we make do, reuse, and fill in the gaps with online and library materials where we need to.  We're only halfway through our last school year ... we got behind a few years ago with deaths, births, and car accidents, and then a bit farther behind with the Ref's heart attack last year. ... So our new school year will start in January 2013 for Story and Song instead of September.  ...  Still we Usually purchase our curriculum in April to take advantage of the huge discounts.

When curriculum "doesn't work" and money is tight, you don't have the luxury of going shopping for something different.  So I learned to alter the curriculum that I did have to suit our needs.  My first several tries were nearly disasters - and I had to redo and rethink my plan several times.
Once you get the hang of altering a curriculum to suit your needs - it's very easy, and you will start to just do it on the fly.  But there is that learning curve, and just like not everyone can knit - not everyone can take their curriculum for a drive off the beaten path.

I remember back when I was a stickler for following all the rules - every problem on every page had to be completed.  ... We spun in the mud and got nowhere.


Anyway .....


THIS is what we have to order for THIS next year for school.  Usually it's been long ordered by now ... but although we have sold things several times to come up with the $50, each time, something comes up and the money gets spent on the more urgent matter.


But God always provides what we need in his own time.  I'm mostly curious who he will use this year to fill in the gaps for us.





ROD AND STAFF


We usually call in our order to Rod and Staff.  It is a small Mennonite company that sells mostly to their own small schools.  But they also have a thriving business to homeschoolers.  We like the depth and the  price of these books.


Scholar still needs the following

There are 5 Reading workbooks and 5 Phonics workbooks that go along with the 5 Readers.  Buying those is a NEED.  Each of the books will run an average of $4 - $5 or so each.

For a few more weeks, there is a 10% off sale.

The 5 Reader Workbooks

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-11211-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_2

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-11212-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_2

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-11213-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_2

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-11214-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_2

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-11215-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_2

And 3 Phonics Workbooks

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-11221-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_2

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-11222-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_2

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-11224-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_2

Song needs ...

 the 7th Grade English Worksheets.  Which it appears I forgot to order last year (and she's starting this book TODAY!)

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-12727-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_7

under $3.

As well as need the 8th Grade English worksheets and Tests  $5 for both

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-12828-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_8

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-12818-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_8

As well as the 7th Grade READING Worksheets

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-11721/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_7

For Sunshine ....

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/39-60--/?list=Study_Time_Preschool

This set includes:
	About Three	$2.35
	Bigger Steps	$2.35
	Color, Count, and Cut	$2.35
	Doing My Best	$2.35
4 items (set discount: 4%)		-$0.40

$9.00

(Although I just realized that I don't need the "Doing My Best" ... I already have one.

Scholar seems to be taking to English easily.  I might start him on it later in the year.  I own that hard back book set as well, so all I would NEED is the test booklet.

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/1-12212-3/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Grade_2

Code	Label	Price	Qty	Amount
1-11211-3 Grade 2 Reading Workbook Unit 1 $4.35 $4.35 × 1-11212-3 Grade 2 Reading Workbook Unit 2 $4.50 $4.50 × 1-11213-3 Grade 2 Reading Workbook Unit 3 $5.15 $5.15 × 1-11214-3 Grade 2 Reading Workbook Unit 4 $5.45 $5.45 × 1-11215-3 Grade 2 Reading Workbook Unit 5 $5.15 $5.15 × 1-11221-3 Grade 2 Phonics Workbook Unit 1 $2.90 $2.90 × 1-11222-3 Grade 2 Phonics Workbook Units 2,3 $4.45 $4.45 × 1-11224-3 Grade 2 Phonics Workbook Units 4,5 $4.45 $4.45 × 1-11721 Grade 7 Reading Workbook $2.80 $2.80 × 1-12727-3 Grade 7 English Worksheets $2.95 $2.95 × 1-12828-3 Grade 8 English Worksheets $2.95 $2.95 × 1-12818-3 Grade 8 English Tests $1.95 $1.95 × 1-12212-3 Grade 2 English Tests $1.95 $1.95 × 39-6024 About Three - Preschool Activity Workbook $2.35 $2.35 × 39-6025 Bigger Steps - Preschool Activity Workbook $2.35 $2.35 × 39-6026 Color, Count, and Cut - Preschool Activity Workbook $2.35 $2.35 ×
	Subtotal (16 items net wt. 7.38 lbs)			$56.05
	We missed the 10% off a few weeks ago.

It's really a small order this year.  I've worked hard over the years to buy reusable curriculum, and my ability to rework what isn't working into something that does has helped save me from buying a second or third curriculum during the year.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While helping a friend come up with her own order, she offered to tack on this book for Sunshine on her order, while it was 20% off in April.   Sunshine will do this twice a week.

http://www.aophomeschooling.com/product/prs011/




Later, I will tell you what each of the kids will be doing next year for school.

I do happen to have a second English 7th Grade Curriculum set (Pupil and Student book only)  from Rod and Staff that we accidently bought twice.  (Never send a teenager to check to see if you have their curriculum on the shelf already.)  ...  But we can sell one of the two used sets at a discount - $30 plus shipping.   If anyone is interested, leave a comment and make sure you have an email address in the form for me to contact you, and I'll send pictures.