tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353682932024-03-07T03:04:07.209-05:00My Home School 101 Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10474164862073887646noreply@blogger.comBlogger709125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-49789109979119455382016-04-07T00:24:00.000-04:002016-04-07T00:38:13.696-04:00Happy Graduation, Emma!!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">It was surreal finalizing Emma MacDonald's high school transcript tonight. Today she finished her last day of homeschool high school.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">ADHD, a personality that blew the walls off our house with violent extremes of exhilaration and tragic sorrow (sometimes within 60 seconds of each other); epic successes always came with equally large failures and mistakes (and epic emotions to accompany both). </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A lack of impulse control resulted in broken bones, broken friendships and tears (from siblings, too). The ocean of waves of anger because of the tyranny of being forced to do math, "AGAIN, TODAY!?!" (everyday).</span></td></tr>
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I spent so much time on knees for that child -- begging God to get us through the next day. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-aFK5eLYMiK9UxvJ_S9-MT5LeylDd21HQIXLkrMuySOjC-XCOY7OYV5vKgbyxdtnL9_dh9K0ujZ91SG9gRtbiHU950DQyJ-xY3fz_lRKc0OOhO13zej3HTvhcisDefP1slNVyg/s1600/12804190_562402410586033_1231520781_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-aFK5eLYMiK9UxvJ_S9-MT5LeylDd21HQIXLkrMuySOjC-XCOY7OYV5vKgbyxdtnL9_dh9K0ujZ91SG9gRtbiHU950DQyJ-xY3fz_lRKc0OOhO13zej3HTvhcisDefP1slNVyg/s320/12804190_562402410586033_1231520781_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>I publicly proclaim all this to say, "Look what God has done." Today, this grown woman strives for temperance and wisdom and to only do God's Will. She admits when she is wrong and is generous with her time, talents and praise of others. <br />
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She still blows the walls off our house with her larger-than-life personality. She also graces our family (our community & our world) with her advanced cooking skills, the music that flows out of her, and she is the pied piper of fun (and trouble) in our house. She's NEVER enjoyed academics, but through self-discipline and fortitude, she spent the last 2 years raising her GPA and completing all her school work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpQ8P9cY_TO76o4W4SGNZtJ8-I42pa4pb3P5HOkKcCUwO-izbpN2WBa8Iss-1OHeY0nE72VeRuQyYWYPeX6TF_G1UOTaufizkHpwm4Lp7fgE3GUcxSM6RZNYDjzED20NJtpDZJQ/s1600/12782358_562402407252700_231750362_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpQ8P9cY_TO76o4W4SGNZtJ8-I42pa4pb3P5HOkKcCUwO-izbpN2WBa8Iss-1OHeY0nE72VeRuQyYWYPeX6TF_G1UOTaufizkHpwm4Lp7fgE3GUcxSM6RZNYDjzED20NJtpDZJQ/s320/12782358_562402407252700_231750362_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Raising this girl has been a wild ride and there were months/years I suffered mightily.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqD-vq7g9cifOC5GlHCrav3ffh6saK8M9ZK_8n5IxKKakNNNZX5WXWBOwiwZr2_AR9ja4dLF7TNVGPgkHtoeQoffJKUeiEwTY8dQokJ5BEDJsa-VgLK302VLWRVHU9RJkIMX_VOg/s1600/1617300_10152431326183645_1788977373099388389_o+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqD-vq7g9cifOC5GlHCrav3ffh6saK8M9ZK_8n5IxKKakNNNZX5WXWBOwiwZr2_AR9ja4dLF7TNVGPgkHtoeQoffJKUeiEwTY8dQokJ5BEDJsa-VgLK302VLWRVHU9RJkIMX_VOg/s320/1617300_10152431326183645_1788977373099388389_o+%25282%2529.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">SHE HAS BEEN WORTH EVERY EFFORT!</span></td></tr>
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Some of my favorite memories:<br />
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2007/10/baby-story-1997.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Baby Story 1997</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-newsletter-blast-from-past.html" style="color: #cc4411; font-size: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Blast from the Past 2002</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">- Emma jumped out of the 2nd story window at 4yrs old</span></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2007/01/quote-of-day-11507.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Quote of the Day 1/15/07</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2007/09/things-that-go-bump.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Things that go bump in the night</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2007/09/kids-helping-accident-547.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Kids "Helping" Accident #547</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2007/10/quote-of-day.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Quote of the Day</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2007/10/kids-helping-accident-548-549.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Kids "Helping" Accident #548 & 549</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2008/02/quote-of-day.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Quote of the Day</a></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2008/03/seeds-fertilizer.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Seeds & Fertilizer</a> </span><span style="font-size: small;">- This story epitomizes Emma's childhood</span></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2008/09/quote-of-day_19.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Quote of the Day</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2008/11/happy-birthday-dd2.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Happy Birthday, Dd#2!</a></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2009/10/our-girls-at-acrl-banquet-for-life.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Our girls at the ACRL Banquet For Life</a> </span><span style="font-size: small;">- Emma sang in public for the first time for 400? people</span></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2010/12/ear-piercing-angst.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Ear piercing angst</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2013/08/creeper-in-my-life.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;">Creeper In My Life</a> - <span style="color: #37404e; font-family: "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">THIS is my !*FAVORITE*! Emma MacDonald song!!!!!</span></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2013/08/always-forward-f3.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Always Forward @ F3</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2013/08/gf-df-sf-pizza.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">gf, df, sf pizza</a></h3>
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<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2013/12/something-greater-cd-funding-you-did-it.html" style="color: #cc4411; text-decoration: none;">Something Greater CD Funding -- YOU DID IT!!</a></h3>
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-8867220287968599832015-03-02T16:13:00.000-05:002015-03-02T16:13:01.382-05:00Midwinter Homeschool BluesMy garden is calling to me...<br />
There's too much snow and soon there will be too much mud, but it's whispering -- in a few weeks it will be shouting.<br />
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Some homeschool moms get midwinter blues starting in February. That's what <a href="http://homeschoolconnectionsonline.com/" target="_blank">Homeschool Connections Refresh Conference</a> (online and FREE) is for.<br />
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Another idea is to take some school days and do some <b>"fun school"</b> things you wanted to do this year and didn't get to it:<br />
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<ol>
<li>have an afternoon dance party</li>
<li>go on a field trip</li>
<li>have a history movie lesson</li>
<li>have a formal tea with the kids and classical music</li>
<li>have a picnic in the living room for lunch</li>
<li>let the kids do school in a fort under the table</li>
<li>plan a day trip for when school ends</li>
<li>have a day at the beach school day - turn up the heat, wear shorts & sunglasses & listen to beach boys music, make Hawaiian leis and have a luau for lunch (or whatever you associate with summer)</li>
<li>bake a cake and have a pizza party when you hit 10 weeks left of school (or 50 days or something significant for your family)</li>
<li>plan your end of school celebration</li>
</ol>
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I personally don't get down, I just get antsy. The disorder of my bookshelves, my dwindling marker supply, having to read 1-more-chapter...it cumulatively adds up to me wanting to:<br />
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<ul>
<li>make something beautiful - what color should I paint my kitchen?</li>
<li>make the world more beautiful - should I go with a color scheme for my front flowers this year?</li>
<li>put my bookshelves in order and not look at them for months on end</li>
<li>SPRING CLEANING</li>
</ul>
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Since we're still doing school, I can't fulfill my antsy longings. So, I made a countdown calendar instead. If you take a spring break, mark that on the calendar. Then, fill in how many school days you have starting with your end date and working your way backwards. I put the real calendar dates on the weekends, so you can keep track if you miss a few days of marking off. THEN, scribble all over the dates as you complete them! There's something cathartic about scribbling.<br /><br /></div>
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And here's mine filled out - we end May 1, 2015 this year.</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I'm totally psyched about my countdown calendar. I might frame mine. I can hear the music of the garden...</span></div>
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-1718585297418499472015-01-22T21:46:00.001-05:002015-01-23T00:44:32.743-05:00Highland Dove Homeschool Classical Education - Ages & Stages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; text-align: start;">Welcome to a</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"> peek into my homeschool</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> <u><b>Highland</b></u> – because we are highlanders from Scotland. My son Andrew is named after the patron saint
of Scotland. And as </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">MacDonalds</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> – we take our clan Donald heritage
seriously. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><b>Dove</b></u> because we pray that the Holy Spirit permeates everything we do and every
part of our lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">We are a Catholic family and strive to love Jesus with every fiber of our
being. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">In our school,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> we strive follow a Classical Model of
Education</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">This
means that, like the world view of Christendom, Christ is at the center of our
studies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Also,
like the Scholastics of the Medieval period we seek God in the patterns of His
creation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">We
all know that God orders the season. And
we know children go through “phases”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The
Medievalists took advantage of these patterns of childhood and utilized them in
HOW they taught children at different levels. </span></div>
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The ages in our Classical model more accurately reflect what we know today
about the growth in children’s brains, while taking advantage of the <b><i>“ages and stages”</i></b> of children’s natural growth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">An aspect of the Classical Model is
that the content of the subjects are taught “ON PURPOSE”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">The thread in our classical homeschool is history. History teaches us about who
we are as humans – what we’re capable of, good and bad, and where we fit in
God’s design.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">We learn all this without
having to live through the good, bad and the ugly of making these decisions for
ourselves. Instead, we see others' decisions and their consequences – sometimes for
all of history.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">The subject of history
is the thread ties many of our subjects together.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOBXx2fJDr5rF9MHYVQH6ewK_H1bmNLNedmf2emBIs6EiZJh-ZCqjzkN9PHdBgQWFeYNwb1fPSaZUlzZJG_KT2zFodS8UrV4kiyr5eGnDaJp7CklxyHU7ttMKvOA3mo_2_XC17w/s1600/HD+History+tied+with.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOBXx2fJDr5rF9MHYVQH6ewK_H1bmNLNedmf2emBIs6EiZJh-ZCqjzkN9PHdBgQWFeYNwb1fPSaZUlzZJG_KT2zFodS8UrV4kiyr5eGnDaJp7CklxyHU7ttMKvOA3mo_2_XC17w/s1600/HD+History+tied+with.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>History is tied with Literature.</i> So while we read about a people and their time
period in history, we also are reading their stories and understanding those
stories, as much as we can, through their eyes.
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>
History and Literature are tied with Science.</i>
So the scientific discoveries made today, standing on the shoulders of
giants from scientists past, are the same names and biographies we’re reading
in history and literature.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">In my homeschool<i> theology is tied in
together with history.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">In
our Classical homeschool, </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">a</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">ll
ages study the same topics at the same time – each at their own level. I’m not trying to teach Julius</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Caesar to one child and trying while
explaining the causes and consequences of WWI to another. My brain can only be so divided, so this
helps me as a teacher not have to keep as many balls in the air. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The
end result of this, is that the youngest students in my school feel just as
capable as the high school kids to participate in a dinner discussion of the
Crimean War. Another great aspect of
this is that the older kids assist the younger kids and enjoy helping them
because in teaching we often learn more readily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_fVVA5YvXls-e87hxb_PgxHuCewBYjmCHsoSL-seDMh7GcNcQ4S0XKATYiYtsJnjdvue_8EONWDLNR_BoUCBNMcxM8hMR-XFhcyQlDa5gbx7dTmWN_Ijhg2HcGi7D7EiSFYS-g/s1600/HD+4+Year+Cycle+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_fVVA5YvXls-e87hxb_PgxHuCewBYjmCHsoSL-seDMh7GcNcQ4S0XKATYiYtsJnjdvue_8EONWDLNR_BoUCBNMcxM8hMR-XFhcyQlDa5gbx7dTmWN_Ijhg2HcGi7D7EiSFYS-g/s1600/HD+4+Year+Cycle+b.jpg" height="202" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOBXx2fJDr5rF9MHYVQH6ewK_H1bmNLNedmf2emBIs6EiZJh-ZCqjzkN9PHdBgQWFeYNwb1fPSaZUlzZJG_KT2zFodS8UrV4kiyr5eGnDaJp7CklxyHU7ttMKvOA3mo_2_XC17w/s1600/HD+History+tied+with.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">History follows a 4 year cycle in our Classical Homeschool</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">on a 4 year rotating basis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> — so the kids
hit the same topics 3 times in their 12-year homeschooling career. The benefits
of this are many, but one of the biggest is retention. </span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">They’ll
say,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> “OHHH, I remember when we studied aqua
ducts and I made one out of cardboard tubes.” </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">This means I don’t stress about them
missing or not comprehending one historical personality because we’ll hit that
again in 4 years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Another
benefit of our 4 year cycle is that the kids are more prepared to tackle the
harder topics once they hit high school.
The </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Illiad</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
isn’t so scary and daunting to tackle because these characters are as familiar
to the kids as fairy tales. Some of them
are old friends and revisiting them and learning about them on a deeper level
is as exciting as watching the sequel to the next superhero movie. – Well,
maybe not THAT exciting. But definitely
less scary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline;">Our </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline;">4 Year Cycle is broken down like this: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold;">Year
1 -</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold;">Ancients</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Creation
- </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold;">Life
of Christ &</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;">
the early church </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"> (Beginning of recorded history – 400 AD)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">We
study the Ancients in History, Greek & Roman stories in Literature. While we learn about the Ancient Egyptians
and their ability to preserve bodies as mummies and do brain surgery – we’re
learning Biology in science. All the
ages learn biology at the same time, on their own level. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;">Year 2 - </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold;">Middle Ages </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(400 AD - 1500 AD) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">We study Medieval History, and Medieval Literature. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">While we learn about the Crusades and the learning they brought back from what they would consider ‘the ends of the earth’ – we’re learning Astronomy and Earth Science. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;">Year 3 – World History: Renaissance – Present<br /> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline;">(1500 AD – Present)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> We study History from a World perspective. While wonderful ideas came out of the Renaissance, some really un-Christian ideas came out as well. To see the err in how this Modernism and Relativism has crept into our American way of thinking, we have to look at the Renaissance and its effects on its own, while also placing it in the continuity of history. We study the stories of some classic British authors we well as others in Literature of this era. While the world learns about Pasteurization and struggles with the Spanish Flu, we learn Chemistry. In Religion we learn how science and faith are not opposed to each other and how one nurtures and sustains the other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;">Year 4 – American History </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline;">(1500 AD – 9/11/2001)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">We study American History. We are Americans and should know our own history well. In researching other Classical Models, I saw a lack of American History in them, so needed to come up with a model I felt good about using with my students. We also study the classics of American Literature. While our scientists were splitting atoms in WWII, we learn Physics in science and in religion, we study the application of our faith for today’s society.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">The beauty of this repeating cycle, besides easing the students into difficult concepts at an easy pace and increased retention, is that students can be “folded” into the cycle. With several of my children, our school was on year 3 when they were ready for high school level work. They simply began high school with Year 3, then 4 and finished up with Year 1, graduating after Year 2.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highland Dove Homeschool Classical Education - Ages & Stages</td></tr>
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-53567477828335891582015-01-02T09:19:00.000-05:002015-01-02T09:19:31.406-05:00Chore Chart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-54697167508943210162014-12-30T09:25:00.001-05:002014-12-30T09:41:15.855-05:002014 Christmas Kitten<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlOuNa4iacknndjNi513XV4rFOe1hhAsw9WEmXfv_Zg9vBD8RI_2elDEJjr3akzI_VpxCswhNE79EK3rGVcTlQ1LP_lbyLW2AdrD36gzq-8pgZ7pXRlGqDnOX04uzJ-3Bh1zdyQ/s1600/10906113_10205530993938446_1534336051827401919_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlOuNa4iacknndjNi513XV4rFOe1hhAsw9WEmXfv_Zg9vBD8RI_2elDEJjr3akzI_VpxCswhNE79EK3rGVcTlQ1LP_lbyLW2AdrD36gzq-8pgZ7pXRlGqDnOX04uzJ-3Bh1zdyQ/s1600/10906113_10205530993938446_1534336051827401919_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"> </span><span style="color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;">"Timmy" is Will(7)'s Christmas present. The cat was $10 through the SPCA -- we spent $50 on a cat carrier, food, litter, box, etc. LOL. Timmy is 11 weeks old, now. We got him the week before Christmas. </span><span style="color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"> Will is THRILLED with his kitten</span><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0" style="color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0">.</span></span><span style="color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0" style="color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-align: center;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0">Will got a BIG dose of reality when the kitten came home from the SPCA with a slight cough and it developed into a massive respiratory infection. </span></span><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3" style="color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-align: center;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0">Will wasn't allowed to touch his very sick kitten for about 5 days (over Christmas) while the cat rested and struggled for breath. At 7, the sweetness of a new kitten is too much temptation to be careful with every touch, so we held the kitten, but gave Timmy space from his excited, loving owner. Every night we warned Will the kitten might not make it through the night and every morning we held our breath when Will went to see his kitten in the morning. Indiana kids -- just learning life on life's terms. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3" style="color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-align: center;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"></span><span style="color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-align: center;">Another $20 for bublegum amoxicillan (.5ml 3x/day -- apparently, there are 2 doses for cats: .5ml for kittens and 1ml for full grown cats. Good to know next time.) But the antibiotic did the trick and Will and the kitten are getting to be friends.</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Jenny is our 3yr old smooth-coated collie / yellow lab mix we got as a Christmas puppy 3 yrs ago. I wanted a rowdy puppy to keep the boys interested - and that's what I got. Jenny is freaked out when the kitten tries to cuddle up to her, but Jenny and Timmy are having more and more positive "moments" now that Timmy is perking up and getting interesting.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp4rmUkqqGQcPH8CkJA68NLXGtXA3hM0KutFI4IdqaTVAeeR6ihdfaTt8TZ0Y-U0gcxjNdsXxmV4k6f6mGDCv8E-SSQZ_sOH27u7fPpHKAxQay2ldH4Bx1B4Dfethc_5jZ4fsrg/s1600/10888786_10205530995298480_7787917805640516502_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp4rmUkqqGQcPH8CkJA68NLXGtXA3hM0KutFI4IdqaTVAeeR6ihdfaTt8TZ0Y-U0gcxjNdsXxmV4k6f6mGDCv8E-SSQZ_sOH27u7fPpHKAxQay2ldH4Bx1B4Dfethc_5jZ4fsrg/s1600/10888786_10205530995298480_7787917805640516502_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="text-align: center;">Will chose the most playful kitten in the shelter. While Timmy was cuddly when ill, he's now showing his true nature - </span><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-align: center;">Timmy apparently likes coffee in the morning (mine). </span><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-align: center;">The kitten also likes attacking my laptop screen w<span style="font-family: inherit;">ith a flying leap everytime the page changes.</span></span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0" style="line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"><span data-reactid=".th.1:3:1:$comment10202007361384182_10202007491587437:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px; text-align: start;">Will, prayed every night during the rosary for nine months for a new kitten. The day he got the kitten, he told God THANK YOU, and asked for a bunny.</span></span></span></span>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-39711798574115548492014-12-06T14:00:00.000-05:002014-12-11T14:01:17.609-05:00December 6th: Feast of St. Nicholas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ueh9uPUOp8s/Tt2USvP6USI/AAAAAAAAApo/kiFnL86P07M/s1600/st-nicholas-of-myra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ueh9uPUOp8s/Tt2USvP6USI/AAAAAAAAApo/kiFnL86P07M/s1600/st-nicholas-of-myra.jpg" height="320" width="242" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I Saw Santa Punching Arius </span>(video/song)<span style="text-align: start;"> - </span><span style="text-align: left;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc_bkDnLHk0</span><span style="text-align: start;">us </span></div>
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All things St. Nicholas - http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/who-is-st-nicholas/</div>
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I hate the sweater in this graphic, but I love the sentiment.</div>
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<a href="http://www.stpeterslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Nicholas-Awkward-Meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.stpeterslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Nicholas-Awkward-Meme.jpg" height="320" width="270" /></a></div>
<br /><br /><br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-45335044150404364832014-10-01T21:00:00.000-04:002014-10-02T21:01:12.830-04:00New Homeschooler Question #32<h2>
I've decided to homeschool, now what?</h2>
<br />
I always advise new homeschool moms to start with a boxed curriculum. Just START. <br />
<br />
- I really like <a href="https://www.chcweb.com/catalog/index.html" target="_blank">Catholic Heritage Curricula</a> if you're Catholic -- it's easy to use, gentle on your pocketbook, your child, and you as a new homeschool mom.<br />
- If you're protestant, <a href="http://cathyduffyreviews.com/unit-studies/my-fathers-world.htm" target="_blank">My Father's World</a> is really popular. I also love <a href="http://cathyduffyreviews.com/grade-level-packages/Memoria-Press-Complete-Grade-Level-Packages.htm" target="_blank">Memoria Press</a> and <a href="http://cathyduffyreviews.com/unit-studies/Sonlight.htm" target="_blank">Sonlight</a>:both GREAT choices.<br />
<br />
Then, when you know what's working (or what's not) be prepared to just tweak a little. <br />
<br />
IF you want to pick and choose (design your own) curriculum, I don't usually advise it in your first year. However, kindergarten is a GREAT time to play around with different curriculum to learn how you like to teach and how your child learns best.<br />
<br />
The way you do that is choose ONE subject, research, then choose. If you get stuck and can't decide (you've narrowed down your choices and just can't pare them down any more), then try to figure out a different subject. Come back to your undecided subjects with a little more information under your belt. So which one are you going to start with?<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Math</li>
<li>English</li>
<li>History</li>
<li>Literature</li>
<li>Science</li>
<li>Foreign Language</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-471809202729640312014-09-10T13:37:00.000-04:002014-09-10T13:38:56.099-04:00Do Something MEANINGFUL today -- this is one idea.<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read this. Then send $6 to my friend on the front lines. Many of you know, I open my house to help new homeschool moms get started. She opens her house to help mamas and babies LIVE. Read, then pray, then help.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blessedarethefeet.com/on-birth-stories-and-brave-women/">http://www.blessedarethefeet.com/on-birth-stories-and-brave-women/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our lives can sometimes <i>feel</i> so overwhelming -- and sometimes they are. These are the stories she hears every. day. Making a genuine difference in someone's life can sometimes cost alot -- time, relationships, vulnerability, heart ache. This time, it's only $6. That's not alot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Very often we have to be so cautious to know where our donation dollars go. Research. Analysis. Time. Effort. This time, though, we know where it goes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you a Mama? A grandpa? An aunt? Wouldn't you give so much more than $6 to make sure the young mother in your life is safe along with her baby? This is just $6.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you decide not help Colleen, then help someone in your life. THIS is what makes life meaningful.</span><br />
<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-4372760892464314912014-08-29T13:26:00.000-04:002014-09-10T13:27:09.119-04:0012 Years Done -- 12 Years To GoHomeschooling can be surreal. I had 4 and then 5 kids to raise, feed, play with. <br />
I spent 12 years educating <a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2010/01/happy-14th-birthday-dd1.html" target="_blank">this kid</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKukn4VHMAufuajc6gfElHl-iomralR9jIHKbFEsdYQtvvl0f989xBuneC_9YA2msmCL2Hud0NoJF_pK5ZuCpNAUfzSox-R0-9w-3blkNHx92-9c20bUWhZWqyCBcsqpcTnxEnQ/s1600/389450_3021164412349_698087189_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKukn4VHMAufuajc6gfElHl-iomralR9jIHKbFEsdYQtvvl0f989xBuneC_9YA2msmCL2Hud0NoJF_pK5ZuCpNAUfzSox-R0-9w-3blkNHx92-9c20bUWhZWqyCBcsqpcTnxEnQ/s1600/389450_3021164412349_698087189_n.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
- She was EASY to raise (compliant, sweet, compassionate, fun)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVwwjMfVv2NYj13UzZhhhi-9Fs_zXzuALJQc6LsC-G_kf7YBAU6FH5mNw7vDDS1lyM0lwaHZr4EZ1mj0lBZ1x-g7Wr6WSbipmztr8VxI-FHTyyrqf50-34_4Ur5orYhe52kwvwA/s1600/1931231_1069185054085_1336_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVwwjMfVv2NYj13UzZhhhi-9Fs_zXzuALJQc6LsC-G_kf7YBAU6FH5mNw7vDDS1lyM0lwaHZr4EZ1mj0lBZ1x-g7Wr6WSbipmztr8VxI-FHTyyrqf50-34_4Ur5orYhe52kwvwA/s1600/1931231_1069185054085_1336_n.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a></div>
- and HARD to school (she was totally smart and EXPECTED that I would give her challenging work -- which was very difficult when she was reading and analyzing Don Quixote for fun in middle school)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYEwLiMVzFzcl_gzHDKkjyj2UoUZubtLXN0WNWGNyh6Zx97gc4Hvq2ynnUDHimW0RoseNfYw_SCoxp3YKM5AbNEG1mx6dqW5Ys_0_kqkB-XfDiOB7n2zlv0gAGzDa5iAkiPGBbg/s1600/10414914_10203975183324153_1802981071662451425_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYEwLiMVzFzcl_gzHDKkjyj2UoUZubtLXN0WNWGNyh6Zx97gc4Hvq2ynnUDHimW0RoseNfYw_SCoxp3YKM5AbNEG1mx6dqW5Ys_0_kqkB-XfDiOB7n2zlv0gAGzDa5iAkiPGBbg/s1600/10414914_10203975183324153_1802981071662451425_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
- and required me to be PRAYERFUL to mother (she spent most of her high school years fairly sick and I not only worried but worked to get her healthy -- it's still a work in progress, but she's getting better -- just slower than I'd rather).<br />
<br />
As she's getting better, she's sassier and more fun than ever!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXthgbCrLAnj0TwVQlLpAGjf_meP75J-omnoLl_wTVqB_wL7tMpfe4n6SEAcKcOfe5zI3eX2bUeHs-EkSVAU91hHXGfvWHjOewRq0aOd35HuhQ5YUoePiNMaoqWTgdggYKnvVwRg/s1600/10439246_717636191612336_966320724_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXthgbCrLAnj0TwVQlLpAGjf_meP75J-omnoLl_wTVqB_wL7tMpfe4n6SEAcKcOfe5zI3eX2bUeHs-EkSVAU91hHXGfvWHjOewRq0aOd35HuhQ5YUoePiNMaoqWTgdggYKnvVwRg/s1600/10439246_717636191612336_966320724_o.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Now that she's 18 and graduated from homeschool high school, I've got the first 12 years of homeschooling under my belt. <br />
So I begin the next 12 years while I teach 1st grade all over again this year. This will be my 5th time teaching 1st grade and the last time I teach it (that I know of)... <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0D5BG-sqQDpVfqEQz21QI6-9AHE7gAj2d7gA3O59XEjXVU3KPMEm13nDLMS5Y5xuS7s6UVFx2VAmuqcUL1zPfaYqXlp6jnY0coptoGl2mWFMUFTzRacdVbt8EcGDasUoqka8-Q/s1600/Will+ready+for+1st+grade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0D5BG-sqQDpVfqEQz21QI6-9AHE7gAj2d7gA3O59XEjXVU3KPMEm13nDLMS5Y5xuS7s6UVFx2VAmuqcUL1zPfaYqXlp6jnY0coptoGl2mWFMUFTzRacdVbt8EcGDasUoqka8-Q/s1600/Will+ready+for+1st+grade.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Being done/beginning...It's all a little -- SURREAL.<br />
<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-44426813365592704562014-07-21T13:43:00.000-04:002014-08-31T16:27:28.032-04:00Prairie PartiesIt's been at least a decade since we did them -- but that school year is one of the most solidified in my memory -- such sweet, sweet memories of learning and FUN.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">You choose one book in the "Little House on the Prairie" series per month and have everyone in your group read it. My house could accommodate 20 kids, so ~6 families. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Sept - Little House in the Big Woods</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Oct - Little House on the Prairie</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Nov - Farmer Boy</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Dec - On the Banks of Plumb Creek</span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Jan - By the Shores of Silver Lake</span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Feb - The Long Winter</span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Mar - Little Town on the Prairie</span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Apr - These Happy Golden Years</span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">May - The First Four Years</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://smile.amazon.com/The-Prairie-Primer-Literature-Utilizing/dp/0965251136/ref=smi_www_rcolv2_go_smi?_encoding=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0">Prairie
Primer</a> is the book I used to jump start our Prairie Parties. For my family the book wasn't academically challenging enough to use as a stand-alone curriculum. But it really gave me ideas on how to pull activities from the series.</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">The book is available at our library - </span><a href="http://smartcat.acpl.lib.in.us/?itemid=|acpl-bibs|ocm32243003" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">ACPL</a><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">.</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Each family selected any topic from the book of that month to do an activity with everyone.</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Everyone brought a
dish to share for lunch after the party was over.</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzEt5VnT-lZpz6_vHmiw4qifAJEjqeZGbUmbheQtxcVRZt8VGX2_twEAAH4GotkvcDqe6_zu_kZMCPVBQyo5Ba-SrdTF_ggObXgFgNfZovGyxh0cFY4_RPfmynuZzak6aEHZtOg/s1600/10620571_10204619360548181_782681104219628689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzEt5VnT-lZpz6_vHmiw4qifAJEjqeZGbUmbheQtxcVRZt8VGX2_twEAAH4GotkvcDqe6_zu_kZMCPVBQyo5Ba-SrdTF_ggObXgFgNfZovGyxh0cFY4_RPfmynuZzak6aEHZtOg/s1600/10620571_10204619360548181_782681104219628689_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Examples of
activities that moms chose:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Butter making
with a ball jar and whole milk (shaking)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Using a washboard
and tub to wash an item of clothing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Taste testing
real maple syrup vs. imitation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A presentation
on hibernation of bears<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Making a
pumpkin pie from scratch<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Quilting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Candlemaking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A lesson on
Native Americans<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A lesson on bee
“dancing” and taste testing different types of honey (clover, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bonnet making
(kids cut it out and moms sewed it together at home)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-25259414941472206522014-05-31T11:22:00.001-04:002014-05-31T16:26:29.413-04:004BR, 2 1/2 BA, 2,376sq ft, 2-story home for sale in Fort Wayne, IN for $119,900<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
We have decided to sell our home in Blackhawk for $119,900. (Current property tax values assess it at $123K.)</div>
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We haven't listed it yet, but while we're getting it ready, would you like to buy our home and help make the decisions? It's driving me crazy making the decisions for someone else. What color carpet throughout? Which rooms would you like painted and what color? Anything in particular with the landscaping? It will take us a few weeks to make all the decisions. Please share this with friends of friends and see if we can sell the house before we list and have to have open houses to show it (not looking forward to that part). Anybody can stop by and see the house before we officially list it, but please note that the 5 kids are all working on it and it may be in disarray.</div>
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6714 Winnebago Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46815<br />
4 Bedrooms, 2 1/2 Baths<br />
Home size 2,376 Sq Ft<br />
Lot Size 0.25 Acres<br />
Built 1969</div>
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Central Air, Baseboard Hot Water Heat, Whole House Attic Fan.<br />
This is a book-lover's dream: Living Room is a true library with floor to ceiling bookshelves. Ceiling Fans in every bedroom, Dining Room & Family Room. Family Room has wood fireplace. Large open kitchen and breakfast nook with ceramic tile. Attached 2 Car Garage with Attic storage. 3 Seasons room. 4 Bedrooms upstairs and Master has it's own bathroom. Half Bath is on first floor. Great backyard for kids and pets with multiple swingsets under shade tree.</div>
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New laminate wood flooring in Living Room-Library in January 2014<br />
Most windows replaced in 2013 and new Front Screen Door in 2013<br />
6 yr old asphalt roof<br />
Swingset is negotiable</div>
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Schools: Croninger, Blackhawk Middle School, Snider</div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Contact us at (260) 485-8828 </span></span><br />
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-67461358010203956782014-05-28T17:08:00.002-04:002014-05-28T17:08:45.987-04:00Welcome to my Messy House<h1 style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Quick! Clean up! Someone's coming!" -or- "Here! Take these dirty underwear I picked up off the floor and stuff them down the clothes chute." -or- "I'll talk to them in there and you clean up in here." We've all done it. It's the loving thing to do to make things nice for someone. But when making things nice is at the expense of someone -- we have a problem. We have to stop worrying about how things look to the exclusion of having people over. We can't live in House Beautiful or a Southern Living magazine all the time. (Honestly, not even some of the time). We try, but we fail. That failure is "just life", not a fatal flaw of morality.</span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My children are a gift from God so I share them with the world. Do I keep my child from talking to someone because he's a filthy mess from playing at the park? No. My home, too, is a gift and given to me to share with others. </span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I'm pretty good about this. Annette Funicello, America's sweetheart, appeared on TV with full-blown MS in a wheelchair and with her mouth a little disfigured, but as big of a smile as she could manage said,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"> It's a theme of my life. I say it to myself over again and again and have for years.</span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I do warn guests when they need to use the bathroom, 'I'm not promising it's clean, but you're welcome to it.' Most of them KNOW what a 6yr old boy can do to a previously clean bathroom. And if not, it's time they learn. Approximately half of the population has been or will be a 6 year old boy. Being ourselves gives our guests permission to be themselves. </span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I have people over when my house is 'lived-in', to LOVE them. How many exhausted moms of preschoolers feel like they can't keep up? How many men feel like they don't measure up? My aunt committed suicide and the toll on the family was horrendous. We can't put so much pressure on each other to 'measure up'. How many times have we seen a teen in the news who committed suicide? In their pain they think things would never feel better than they do in that moment. The response from the rest of the world is that we want to shout from the rooftops that it doesn't matter what everyone thinks or how chaotic it feels - life CAN get better. </span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">By sharing our chaos with the the world, I'm shouting to everyone who walks through my door, 'I love you and you're welcome here just the way you are. Come share some of the less-than attractive places in my life and I'll share your pain with you.'</span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The test of this was having our priest over for dinner when life was chaotic. As I fed him out of my messy fridge and he sat on my gross floor (I had cleaned it, but you know...) with my smelly dog on his lap he told us that he'd had a black lab as a boy and was too busy for a dog now. He said that not many families with kids had him over - he assumed due to the stress of life - and I saw that us inviting him into our chaos helped fill something in him. </span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I want my guests to feel loved and I have to be 'real' to do that. Some may judge me, but I want to say back to those, 'This is my best. And a way to love you, because "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."</span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">This post started my <strike>rant</strike> self-reflection.</span></h1>
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<a href="http://www.knoxpriest.com/scruffy-hospitality-creates-space-friendship" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 54px;" target="_blank">Why Scruffy Hospitality Creates Space for Friendship</a></h1>
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-34677219998594724342014-05-21T15:57:00.000-04:002014-05-21T16:04:16.945-04:00How Do I Prepare Myself to Teach High School?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2920VKCqpcEy0AYPYn-AV3GiX2wQkOQXhgDXxkZrrhmcYB0u9dz8X8vkW_a6cHka3CNqMeA0WbTPR9drCUk5TC37GZJ8hS3LcA8hYthUUjzmasKEPX4RQJF_aMALCvUDeKGUenw/s1600/Candies2.gif.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2920VKCqpcEy0AYPYn-AV3GiX2wQkOQXhgDXxkZrrhmcYB0u9dz8X8vkW_a6cHka3CNqMeA0WbTPR9drCUk5TC37GZJ8hS3LcA8hYthUUjzmasKEPX4RQJF_aMALCvUDeKGUenw/s1600/Candies2.gif.png" height="163" width="200" /></a>Not everyone thinks this way, but I am a whole-to-parts kind of thinker. I use an organizing principle to begin, plan and end. In my mind the tool looks like a wrapped piece of candy. So, I start with an organizing principle to begin my planning, stuff all the details in as I go on planning, and end the year finishing up with the same organizing principle.</div>
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And this magical tool is -- a transcript. I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW -- that's the <i>scary</i> part at the end of high school for most homeschool moms. Just hang with me. It's <i>just</i> a piece of paper. (Mine is an excel document, but you can do it in Word or just on a piece of paper.) </div>
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If you need to meet your state's requirements for graduation, this is where you take it into account.</div>
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First, take your blank piece of paper and put down categories that you want your student to learn. And put at least 4 lines between each:</div>
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<u>Transcript</u></div>
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Math</div>
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1. </div>
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4. </div>
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Science </div>
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English</div>
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History</div>
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Theology</div>
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X-Curricular</div>
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Next, fill in what you know. Do you know what math curriculum you'll use? (We're Math-U-See fans, here.) Even if you're unsure if your child will make it to Calculus in his 4th year, fill in what you'd like his high school to look like. <i>It's just a piece of paper</i>. </div>
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You'll obviously have some blank spaces. Do your best to fill them in. Don't know what English curriculum you'll use? Call it English 1, English 2, English 3, & English 4. Even if you don't know what x-curricular classes your child will take? Guess. Might he like photography? You have 4 years to make it accurate, for now just fill it in with your best guess. When you're <i>relatively</i> sure about something, highlight it. Then do a happy dance. When you get a chance, move onto the next thing you're close to figuring it out.</div>
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Now, when you've filled it all out, you have a 4-year tentative plan. </div>
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/225495765/Mock-Transcript" target="_blank">Mock Transcript</a></div>
http://www.scribd.com/doc/225495765/Mock-Transcript
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Next, you're ready to buy some books and start lesson planning. (This is the start of the candy part.) </div>
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My finalized lesson plans look like<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2011/08/organization-tool-spreadsheets.html" target="_blank"> this</a>. The kids get a printed copy in glued into their<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2008/05/great-product-catholic-student-planner.html" target="_blank"> student planner</a> and I glue a copy for me for each child into my teacher planner. Then as the year progresses, I track grades on it and where we are in each subject compared to where my plan thought we should be (because those things NEVER match up).</div>
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Then at the end of the year, I update my transcript for what actually occurred through the year, adding class descriptions and a books read list (organized by class). I also use my transcript to begin planning for next year.</div>
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-11537863828223495652014-05-20T14:06:00.000-04:002014-05-20T14:06:13.285-04:00How Do I Prepare My Kids for High School Work?It's one of the big 10 questions every homeschooler gets - <i><b>"What about high school?"</b></i><br />
<br />
Most moms I know FREAK OUT (<a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2009/03/homeschooling-highschool.html" target="_blank">including me</a>) when deciding if they can handle homeschooling high school their first kid.<br />
<br />
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#1 <i>You’re not wrong to freak out.</i> Is it good to
give cautious attention and consideration about who you marry? Is it
reasonable to be concerned about pregnancy and birth when you’re never done it
before? Then it’s reasonable to give cautious consideration about
launching a child into adulthood. Besides, it’s hard, as is good
parenting. Not impossible, but challenging. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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#2 <a href="http://homeschoolconnectionsonline.com/?a_aid=jennthmg" target="_blank">Homeschool Connections</a> is my favorite resource of all time for Catholic high
school coursework. You can read about our experience <a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2010/07/one-of-best-resources-for-catholic.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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#3 Classes, activities and a good youth group has been GREAT for my high schoolers to socialize. I’ve found it’s
even more important in the high school years for my kids to have outside friends and opportunities for fun. My kids get much of this from Catholic
homeschool friends. My kids have plenty of Protestant homeschool friends they love and
friends who go to school, but their sense of identity can be solidified with like-minded friends when it comes to religion and world-view.<o:p></o:p></div>
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#4 Preparing kids for high school coursework<o:p></o:p></div>
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I tried so hard to adequately prepare my oldest for high
school work. As we started high school, I did find a few holes – that was
a tough year for my oldest, but we both survived. I have done a better
job preparing my other kids for high school work. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<u><i>Now, I spend the middle school years working on 3 main
skills: </i></u><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>*Being accountable for their time and finishing
assignments on time without holding their hand (or badgering) <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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For this skill, I use a student
planner and a hefty list of <a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2014/04/carrots-and-consequences.html" target="_blank">carrots and consequences</a>. My favorite student planner is <a href="http://www.creativecommunications.com/denomPicker.php">Good News Planners
from Creative Communications</a>. Even my big kids like the boxes of the
“Elementary Planner” better than the open spaces of the “High School”
planner. Here’s <a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2008/05/great-product-catholic-student-planner.html">why</a>
I like that particular planner.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The way I use it is to give my 5<sup>th</sup>
& 6<sup>th</sup> graders daily assignments. I’ll break down big
assignments into smaller pieces for them. Eventually as they master that,
I transition them so that by 7<sup>th</sup> & 8<sup>th</sup> grade I’m giving
them weekly assignments and they can break them down into daily to-do list for
themselves. At first I monitor their to-do lists to make sure they’ve
broken them down into reasonable pieces and they’re getting them done.
Hopefully, by the end of 8<sup>th</sup> grade I’m only going over their planner
at the beginning of the week to get it set up and at the end of the week
when they turn in their assignments. This is how I handle the
organization of <i>their</i> work throughout high school.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>*Independently learning from a textbook & Ability to
study independently and take tests</b> THIS SKILL is soooo IMPORTANT to any sense of a traditional highschool education. It's not something kids innately know and it has to be taught. It can also take several years to master. It also isn't a skill covered in any of the delight-driven, literature-based, classical elementary school that I do with my kids.<br /> My favorite middle school resource
for this is a good science textbook. I cover how to teach this in <a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2013/10/teaching-test-taking-skills.html">Test
Taking Skills</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>*Paper Writing</b> This I a tough skill and
although they work on it during all of high school, I want them to have the
rudiments of it before then. <a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2013/11/writing-expectations.html" target="_blank">Here</a> is an example of the expectations I have of my kids in each grade level including high school.</div>
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In 8<sup>th</sup> grade each of my kids
writes me a HUGE research paper following along with <a href="http://www.setonbooks.com/viewone.php?ToView=P-EN08-22">Seton’s
Composition for Young Catholics</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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How I use the resource.
Starting in quarter 2 of the year (because the first couple months of school is
always a blur), the kids do 1 chapter per week. Starting in quarter 3 (2<sup>nd</sup>
semester), the kids do <i>roughly</i> 1 chapter per week. Several
chapters get more than 1 week: Chapter 12 – Note Taking gets 3 weeks, Chapter
16 – First Draft gets 2 weeks, and Chapter 19 – Final Edit gets 2 weeks.<o:p></o:p></div>
Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-40236160289508355222014-04-22T13:52:00.000-04:002014-05-20T14:55:10.151-04:00Carrots and ConsequencesI've made several posts about disciplining children through the years.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Cousine; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 26px;"><a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2007/02/how-can-i-homeschool-when-my-kids-dont.html" target="_blank">How can I homeschool when.... my kids don't listen to me?</a></span></li>
<li><a class="gs-title" href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2007/07/kids-chores.html" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; cursor: pointer; font-family: Cousine; height: 1.4em; line-height: 29.25px; overflow: hidden; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Kids Chores</a></li>
<li><a class="gs-title" href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2006/10/laziness-in-children.html" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; cursor: pointer; font-family: Cousine; height: 1.4em; line-height: 29.25px; overflow: hidden; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Laziness in children</a></li>
<li><a href="http://myhomeschool101.blogspot.com/2014/04/virtue-vice-chart.html" target="_blank">Virtue-Vice Chart</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
But it all can be summed up with the phrase "Carrots and Consequences". Give them a reason for being good and a consequence if they aren't. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I see my job as a parent is to teach them that being good (obedience to God) has wonderful benefits (Heaven) and not being good (disobedience to God) has terrible consequences (Hell).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love "catching them being good" and reward them for it. Since they know that, they'll let me know if they've done something worthy of rewarding. Their <i style="font-weight: bold;">agony</i> comes when I had an activity planned that they didn't know about and it gets taken away. Oh, the wailing and gnashing of teeth.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>Toddlers & Preschoolers</u></div>
<div>
Any activity involving parental interaction (play ball for 10 minutes, etc.) vs. Time-Out</div>
<div>
Time-out is usually 2x their age for a single infraction. If they are 4, they can get up to 8 minutes in time-out. If they've done 2 things wrong at the same time, they don't serve contiguous sentences. But if they do a new thing wrong, they'll certainly be put back in time-out. Some kids end up in time-out for almost years of their lives. Some kids need me to be there while they're in time-out or they'll go play.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>Elementary</u></div>
<div>
Whatever is their favorite activity vs. Taking that away</div>
<div>
I've grounded kids from reading. I've grounded them from playing the piano. Really, I've grounded them from all sorts of stuff: cooking, speaking, spending time with their siblings, friends, being alone in their room, whatever they value. Those are the same things I'll use as carrots: getting to bake cookies, deciding what we'll eat for dinner that night between 3 options I give them, sleeping in the dog kennel or someplace different in the house, 15 minutes of time before bed, etc. </div>
<div>
For the boys, it's always "screens" - any electronic device (computer, video game, tv, etc.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>Teens</u></div>
<div>
Fun activities (that they're asking for on a regular basis) vs. grounding</div>
<div>
Grounding is my discipline friend during the teen years. I have one child who has suggested having a picture of her face with a circle and a slash through it for all the days she's grounded from facebook so her friends will know why she's not responding. I reassure her - they know.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Depending on the child, what looks like consequence, may be a carrot for another child. My preschool daughters begged me to allow them to pin rags together for them to wear and talk mean to them while they played Cinderella and scrubbed my kitchen floor on their hands and knees.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-25317737780289713422014-04-07T10:06:00.000-04:002014-05-28T17:09:29.619-04:00"Catholic, are you saved?"I loved the conciseness of this response because as Catholics our faith doesn't rely on one verse or phrase, but takes the whole of Christ's teaching into account. This I a great response.
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-6959004941560924362014-04-01T12:56:00.000-04:002014-05-20T12:58:35.635-04:00Virtue-Vice Chart<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', Arial, Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This has helped my discipline so many times through the years. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">It has helped me give more appropriate consequences, reinforced by God's authority (not just mine), and keep the child's eyes on the goal, the positive, even in a negative situation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It's got virtues (10) on the left side and the corresponding vice (honesty & lying / generosity & stealing) on the right side, with 2 bible verses (1 corresponding to each item) in between. This takes up 2/3 of the poster. Then at the bottom I have a long list of privileges & a short list of consequences. I LOVE this! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I take the kids to "the board", we quickly assess that them trying to talk to me on the phone is "stealing" my time & attention. The bible verse refers to a thief learning to work hard, so the natural consequence is an additional chore. Then before we leave "the board", we look over what God's grace has in store for the child if only they'll choose it. I affirm how naturally 'generous' my child is and we read the verse of what God thinks of him when he's generous.</div>
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This is MY chart. I used virtue/ vice vocabulary we use regularly (or want to use) and you should change the categories to match your family. Also, not everyone will want the same verses – so you can change those to suit your family. Obviously, not everyone will choose the same discipline techniques.</div>
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<b><i><u><span style="font-family: Arial;">How To : </span></u></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Virtue / Vice part is the top 2/3 of the poster. The Privileges / Consequences part is the lower 1/3 of the poster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Top 2/3 : There are 3 columns for the top 2/3 of the poster. The first column is 6" long for virtues (don't use this word as a title) , second is 10" long for bible verses, third is 6" long for vices. Each of the 10 rows are 2" tall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Bottom 1/3 : There are 3 columns, evenly spaced. The first 2 columns are for Privileges (use the word as a title). The second is for Consequences (one of the reasons you want a lot of privileges is to keep things positive, and the other is that one of the consequences is a loss of privilege).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<img src="http://highlanddove.org/images/vicevi2.gif" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
http://highlanddove.org/images/vicevi2.gif<br />
©Highland Dove HomeschoolJennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-363116718065901932014-01-07T14:39:00.000-05:002014-01-08T14:40:16.836-05:00Quote of the Day<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Last night Will led us in prayer "Our Father, who art in heaven, Howard is His name..."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I think we need to work on diction.</span>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-71930440668804936352013-12-18T01:12:00.001-05:002013-12-18T01:35:38.507-05:00Christmas Newsletter -- Blast from the Past 2002We've inconsistently sent out a Christmas letter through the years of the kids' growing up. We were asked to repeat this oldie, but goodie from 2002.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmssnzxBapGcRVMnyhVA5xGe1bloFKJmOVPJItNrryeD82iUeawhdR8VS4nSfrxLR-va18bo_1YNS_aXW8PRX4Z4792VF4G0seHMpWOM0jLma81R3zgnPAcDpAXM2KGL6lggUSw/s1600/2002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmssnzxBapGcRVMnyhVA5xGe1bloFKJmOVPJItNrryeD82iUeawhdR8VS4nSfrxLR-va18bo_1YNS_aXW8PRX4Z4792VF4G0seHMpWOM0jLma81R3zgnPAcDpAXM2KGL6lggUSw/s320/2002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Blessings to All, December,
2002</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Life just gets crazier around the MacDonald house. Last Christmas our present to ourselves was
our new house. I'm so thrilled with our
new home. It's beautiful (when it's
clean which isn't very often), and spacious.
Except for a basement, it's everything we said we wanted. Dave and the girls truly miss our first home
and still speak of it often. One family,
one mission, and all of us are different people. The pregnancy was a struggle for the whole
family since I was put on partial bedrest from January until April. Infections and fear, frustration and anxious
test results plagued the first quarter of the year. Friends and family were truly heaven-sent and
provided help, meals, cleaning, babysitting, and lots of prayers. To our relief, Peter Michael was born HAPPY
and HEALTHY on May 2, 2002 at 8lbs and 12oz.
Finally a child who looks more like me than Dave. His dark skin, eyes, and hair are a definite contrast to our hazel-eyed, blonde, fair group.
(Emmy has brown eyes, too!)
During this past spring Emmy had fallen off a patio table (that I'd told
her not to stand on many times) and broken her collar bone (the opposite one
that had been broken at birth). Being on
bedrest, it was hard to keep Drew from running and tackling Em as they as they
often did to each other. It took 3-4
weeks to heal up.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Due to spring colds, I had gone into labor on little to
no sleep from the previous two weeks.
Dave's parents (saints that they are), had all 3 children, (Kate was 6,
Emmy was 4, and Drew was still under 2) overnight while Sweety-Petey and I were
in the hospital. To get some rest, I
took my healthy, happy, big baby home before the 24 hours were up. Dave's parents brought the kids home that
evening. Then life really got started. As soon as Kate got home, she
ran a fever. For the next week and a
half, she spiked temperatures of 104, had swelling throughout the glands in her
neck, was in agonizing pain that the codeine didn't do much for, slept little,
and cried all the time. She threw up
with the fever and the pain. Kate and
Peter were both in our room this week.
We went to the doctor's 3 times that week, and finally when Peter was 9
days old, the pediatrician admitted her to the hospital. At just 9 days old, with NO sleep, I let a
wonderful friend take my new baby home with her for the night with pumped milk,
so I could sleep. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> That first night in the hospital was horrible. The pain medication and the antibiotics
didn't seem to do much and in the middle of the night, though she was burning
up to the touch and delirious, the nurses wouldn't believe me that the
thermometer was broken when it continued to read 99.5. I was too tired to argue and just fell in and
out of sleep on the couch in her room with her cries. At the morning shift change, when her fever
felt like it had gone down quite a bit (by my touch), the new nurse found a new
thermometer that measured 104.8. She
slowly got better and I kept the baby with me in the hospital most of the
time. Em was taken in by her Godparents,
and Drew by my family. They kept Kate in
the hospital for 4 days and sent her home with lots of medication and still
quite a bit of pain, but no more fever.
She'd had all the symptoms of West Nile, including the rash, but that was
before anybody (including the doctor) knew what it was - lymph adonitis was the
diagnosis. Dave had been off work since
the baby was born and had to go back to work the day we came home from the
hospital. I was scared to handle all
those children on my own. Exhausted, I
prayed for life to get "normal".
God said, 'Not yet.'<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The next day, I had worked hard to get all the children
down for a nap at the same time...I just had to get some sleep. I fell asleep in my panties and bra after
nursing Peter to sleep in my bed.
Hearing a scream, I thought Drew had climbed out of his bed and into
Kate's top-bunk and was hurting her. I
scooched Peter to the middle of the bed and ran down the hall. Passing the upstairs bathroom I saw the
screen inside the house and the window wide open. Praying that Drew hadn't fallen out of the
window (how could the screen be on the inside, though, God?), I looked
out. Emmy was screaming on the ground 2
floors below me. Running through the
house (wishing I had some clothes to put on) I ran outside and brought her
in. Her foot was swollen up and she said
she couldn't walk. I called Dave and our
lovely neighbors to see if someone could talk me through checking for broken
bones. Dave rushed home, the neighbor
rushed over, and both Dave's parents came from work to help. Em could put weight on her foot but her back
hurt. I couldn’t stop laughing – Dave
wasn’t as amused. Just a day after
gettting out of the hospital we went back to X-ray Em. Nothing broken and in 5 days she was
wrestling with Drew again. When asked
why she did it, she said she <u>knew</u> she wasn't allowed to go out the door
to play without asking, but no one said anything about the window. My basic prayer for the rest of the summer
was for God to please help me keep all these children alive.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Dave planned out the landscaping in our new backyard over
and over. It was so nice working on
something together that didn't involve the hospital. During the pregnancy, Drew kept getting out
of the yard and running toward the street.
I couldn’t catch him, so Kate had to.
The big accomplishment for the summer was getting our white vinyl fence
installed. Dave, some good friends, and
wonderful family all worked their rear ends off to get it done...it's
lovely. Peter was baptized this summer
and we had a big party with balloons flying off our new fence. We've been discussing a brick patio and
various beds for next summer, we'll just have to wait and see. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Our next interesting story is our lifestyle change...Kate
is now homeschooling. We prayed and
talked and prayed and talked. Everyone
is happy with our new routine including Kate.
Dave was impressed with the opportunities in Fort Wayne for homeschool
activities. It's been a very easy
transition. This just seems to fit us
and our family. About a month after we started to homeschool, Child Protective Services of Allen County
knocked on my door and demanded to see the children. Someone had turned us in as endangering the
children - taking Kate out of "school" was part of the report that
was made, although it's completely legal.
The lady from CPS was very nice and said our children DID NOT look
neglected or endangered. It was scary at
the time, and we'll be under investigation until April, but it seems to have
come to nothing. (THANK GOD!!) Em is
still in preschool at St. Jude Catholic Church, but we're discussing bringing
her home to homeschool for Kindergarten.
I'm a little anxious about homeschooling two kids with the boys
underfoot, but God has time to prepare me.
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Peter is a big, EASY baby. He's so happy and rarely cries. He's almost crawling at 7 months and gets
into everything by scootching like a little commando. We can barely keep him in baby food - he eats
sooo much! Drew is spoiled to the
core. He's just so cute, I can hardly
stand to discipline him, so he's gotten to be somewhat of a terror - but so
sweet and cute you want to melt. If we
could just get him to stop playing and wandering the house in the middle of the
night, we'd be great. Em's gotten to be
such a terrific big sister. Her favorite
thing is to take care of the baby and except for being more precocious than I
can quite keep up with, she's tried so hard to please us. She's either hot or cold and sometimes both
at the same time. Kate is learning so
much, she's such a joy to be around.
Sometimes she wants to please a little too much and we have to insist
that she do what <u>she</u> wants, not someone else (including us). She paves the way for her siblings and is a
genuine leader. Right now she's in love
with the movie 'Grease'. It's pretty
bawdy for her, but she doesn't seem to get those parts. She loves the music.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The 2 big stressers this past year have been money
(almost $10,000 out-of-pocket medical bills) and adjusting to (what seems to
us) our very large family. Our 2 big
joys this year have been God keeping our family from those near-miss disasters
(we're all still here and basically healthy) and God granting us one of his
most precious gifts - our new baby. Such
is life - joy and sorrow mixed - we haven't gotten used to it. Life has been challenging this year. Wonderful, good, full of life, and
challenging. We trust that God will hold
us up to the challenge. I recall the
year Em was born being a rough one , too.
Life gets easier ... please, please, please. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> For Halloween Kate was the Statue of
Liberty, Em was an American Flag, Drew was a fireman, and Peter was a dalmatian. The next day was All Saints
Day and the kids dressed up and I had their picture taken. The others were the Holy Family, but Kate
wanted to be St. Bernadette. So... St.
Bernadette and the Holy Family wish you a Blessed Christmas. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbuBh3t10iai7yDTixAPyGv5mU6uifPFj7yDNFvXYzoukFM5K3u2DNSw2mk5tYDqQwZ3SViSXV_5Ukd2gmldD37G0DISAgH8I-ucOFAHzT3_g475WyNotmMYDPT-qPzUvxvcxmA/s1600/Merry+Christmas+2002+from+the+Holy+Family+&+St.+Bernadette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbuBh3t10iai7yDTixAPyGv5mU6uifPFj7yDNFvXYzoukFM5K3u2DNSw2mk5tYDqQwZ3SViSXV_5Ukd2gmldD37G0DISAgH8I-ucOFAHzT3_g475WyNotmMYDPT-qPzUvxvcxmA/s320/Merry+Christmas+2002+from+the+Holy+Family+&+St.+Bernadette.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-32248911009135515512013-12-11T09:34:00.000-05:002013-12-11T09:34:05.851-05:00Do you let your kids read Percy Jackson or 39 Clues series?<span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]"> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[0]">I allow my 5th grade up crowd access to both series (39 Clues AND Percy Jackson). </span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[0]"></span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[0]">I have to explain that we do ALOT of discussion with our books and the kids are TAUGHT to analyze what they read. That being said, the middle school crowd are <u>not</u> the most analytical people I've ever met and they ususally need help. </span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[0]"></span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[0]">The gods in Percy Jackson, who do bad things, are presented as good people and the kids need help to see that their bad acts, no matter how funny & likable, makes them bad characters. The kids DO NOT see this on their own and argue vehemently that because they are likable, the gods are good characters. </span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[0]"></span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[0]">In 39 Clues the main characters (children) must do morally objectionable things (steal boats, even if it's from bad guys, tell lies) and it's all presented as <em>very justifiable</em>. My kids need talked through each moral dilemma - they won't necessarily see that the kids in the story have a choice to do moral actions when the immoral actions are presented as so reasonable. </span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[0]"></span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[5whex].[1][3][1]{comment10152141708029497_10152146350984497}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[0]">As long as you talk through the issues in the books with the kids I see them as positive learning tools. (Which is NOT how I see those vampire books...) Yes, the books are mainly for enjoyment and can ABSOLUTELY get a struggling reader (even an older one) hooked on reading. But I completely agree with Martin Cothran - "Literature is dangerous—except when taken in large doses." <a href="http://www.memoriapress.com/articles/harry-potter-and-attack-critics">http://www.memoriapress.com/articles/harry-potter-and-attack-critics</a> The above series' are books my kids read during summer or a break from school. Their minds are FILLED with historical characters or classic literature the majority of the year. I feel like that helps protect them from the "twaddle". </span></span></span>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-72261451682197470072013-12-09T05:20:00.000-05:002013-12-18T05:22:06.799-05:00Something Greater CD Funding -- YOU DID IT!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69hGvBVeB-oBjlrEQ4K8q5lA6JylkqweJkyENBOw3DRH2Li8oRQI13OLoiBdRpmXEahN39OabVMnA1jwXhfmuQZ1nQz8kpRwgfoFUPX1GYNpvvuv_9r82iZUEzvH9tNt-XsYVXA/s1600/048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69hGvBVeB-oBjlrEQ4K8q5lA6JylkqweJkyENBOw3DRH2Li8oRQI13OLoiBdRpmXEahN39OabVMnA1jwXhfmuQZ1nQz8kpRwgfoFUPX1GYNpvvuv_9r82iZUEzvH9tNt-XsYVXA/s320/048.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/emmamacdonald/something-greater-album/posts">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/emmamacdonald/something-greater-album/posts</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgJ2r6FRGgBOndcQl55LMPOLa4z8gzSMw3v8ELL11hGYLzlJFnIIRtbyLrhjWHh4U2OewxLzGayQKmsyRbUUL6c9pQO3osL2EqSjD-6nnCxOD7e4xJHB7b8lmrYIdJpJnba3CZg/s1600/Something+Greater+CD+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgJ2r6FRGgBOndcQl55LMPOLa4z8gzSMw3v8ELL11hGYLzlJFnIIRtbyLrhjWHh4U2OewxLzGayQKmsyRbUUL6c9pQO3osL2EqSjD-6nnCxOD7e4xJHB7b8lmrYIdJpJnba3CZg/s320/Something+Greater+CD+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
https://soundcloud.com/emma-macdonald-music/something-greater</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJKCd72XME5lMCya1GXi7zRECDr-8VvxuqpiY5O-kav4DQXKfXA429seBimZlkvqZ0BaZbWCCVaeXaN2hYpv8DU_5-ja00549bGmXcJnIgCBJlUdSE0U7OpQihNjBIR4tTUTacg/s1600/Something+Greater+CD+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJKCd72XME5lMCya1GXi7zRECDr-8VvxuqpiY5O-kav4DQXKfXA429seBimZlkvqZ0BaZbWCCVaeXaN2hYpv8DU_5-ja00549bGmXcJnIgCBJlUdSE0U7OpQihNjBIR4tTUTacg/s320/Something+Greater+CD+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD86OdtEb1zE2se55WW3cntcEsZGvjUGc4Kvb65vgV-rkDk4wcSkPkNFFtmn8sDyT5ikMe1P0GYdyDoOx-NZgph4cmSQWlX41zh-A5R4TaTFfbxPioHudFVVZbJyCwdTFAmnv7aw/s1600/Something+Greater+CD+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD86OdtEb1zE2se55WW3cntcEsZGvjUGc4Kvb65vgV-rkDk4wcSkPkNFFtmn8sDyT5ikMe1P0GYdyDoOx-NZgph4cmSQWlX41zh-A5R4TaTFfbxPioHudFVVZbJyCwdTFAmnv7aw/s320/Something+Greater+CD+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b1902; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/emma-macdonald-music/never-let-you-go" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #062531; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">https://soundcloud.com/emma-macdonald-music/never-let-you-go</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQCJn1IWiTaKuT4DR9faKdWutbJ2fMJINavqDge3bFpX_GwQRB3OZMnPjANt6x1GRPtnZqcakHrNoCoTTPCpx9ZDv4JkPcpClQSQVCl45lktgzdyAQ2UMQGJR9cL0zAijBSYBrw/s1600/Something+Greater+CD+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQCJn1IWiTaKuT4DR9faKdWutbJ2fMJINavqDge3bFpX_GwQRB3OZMnPjANt6x1GRPtnZqcakHrNoCoTTPCpx9ZDv4JkPcpClQSQVCl45lktgzdyAQ2UMQGJR9cL0zAijBSYBrw/s320/Something+Greater+CD+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7XzjmhMtvWa0yXEsZUoB_mre3XdoIKxWpdW8rELcSFMDiEj6BMm5a9PrV5tswSs9BB28jZpkUcmCdpjMti0-Ve4amFvbunohY2lWoxPGCz1Kz2AA3oLzjATkRy8VZ5BvWlqPyg/s1600/Something+Greater+CD+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7XzjmhMtvWa0yXEsZUoB_mre3XdoIKxWpdW8rELcSFMDiEj6BMm5a9PrV5tswSs9BB28jZpkUcmCdpjMti0-Ve4amFvbunohY2lWoxPGCz1Kz2AA3oLzjATkRy8VZ5BvWlqPyg/s320/Something+Greater+CD+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">"I'm so overjoyed that my goal on Kickstarter was reached!! Praise Jesus! Thank you again to everyone who was such great support in so many ways!!" - Emma MacDonald</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkrvwa80TWTRMUgXr_g0I3NxQ2A83aDwnI2ea4RHkNo03yCVIQd1v7GCf2Ucc88dq9TiOdAWDK71Ehn-WDRur3u7mGDAMO8OtcsZnz_tMK6CzED6boy1KADoSaXTl747Eqf9q4Q/s1600/Something+Greater+CD+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkrvwa80TWTRMUgXr_g0I3NxQ2A83aDwnI2ea4RHkNo03yCVIQd1v7GCf2Ucc88dq9TiOdAWDK71Ehn-WDRur3u7mGDAMO8OtcsZnz_tMK6CzED6boy1KADoSaXTl747Eqf9q4Q/s640/Something+Greater+CD+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/emmamacdonald/something-greater-album/posts" style="text-align: center;">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/emmamacdonald/something-greater-album/posts</a>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-69048472729395890352013-11-28T16:41:00.000-05:002013-12-18T05:26:38.962-05:00Happy Thanksgiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1j7KsWW07Ln5aZEKkd0MLCCznMwCvhXMkrbjaJ-I_qrq13m-7_WhMnTFzYqko0hqHYdIasYtPhAVoNCwanblGTG05TPVmtlaKqkex7dLtPxbiamOJLwGcRJlAtyZJ8mjKg_6pg/s1600/Thanksgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1j7KsWW07Ln5aZEKkd0MLCCznMwCvhXMkrbjaJ-I_qrq13m-7_WhMnTFzYqko0hqHYdIasYtPhAVoNCwanblGTG05TPVmtlaKqkex7dLtPxbiamOJLwGcRJlAtyZJ8mjKg_6pg/s400/Thanksgiving.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-53483703736680562052013-11-22T04:44:00.000-05:002013-12-18T04:46:47.115-05:00Mother Colette's first vows<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This was such a tender moment to be part of. I was so touched as the brothers so gently and lovingly put Mother Colette's new black veil on her and took off the white one. It was as reverent and sweet as a moment could be. Mother was almost dancing person to person to get her hugs. Mother, you are such a wonderful gift from God for our family and we are honored to be a part of your life!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqZPA7sd5Ydm9J7yV1oJa0b7frs_lHeV09FZHCc4doipJ8WSCmY-lsI0lyGe1wj7GBbIQr0oleq1q-hVL7fLvMU9vVxpGhVpPUJ_xGXwraMi3IOwqAFyIoBY2PFaDL85fabOIqQ/s1600/Mother+Colette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqZPA7sd5Ydm9J7yV1oJa0b7frs_lHeV09FZHCc4doipJ8WSCmY-lsI0lyGe1wj7GBbIQr0oleq1q-hVL7fLvMU9vVxpGhVpPUJ_xGXwraMi3IOwqAFyIoBY2PFaDL85fabOIqQ/s320/Mother+Colette.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-89479847534884705812013-11-16T04:25:00.000-05:002013-12-18T05:27:11.336-05:00This is what volunteering looks like<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79UvoV7iV9LBzzkTv4JKsWLPendLgTdtYK4anXsE-Vkfb50FbU1WzCBwzNf8QyJ4DJgCGFv5Dhlgxh93KvbQTs5inA6XLSYFf361MsezvTaVeNBO2mLJmcWdSJkImZhYkZ0e2rA/s1600/St+Vincent+volunteer+group+Nov+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79UvoV7iV9LBzzkTv4JKsWLPendLgTdtYK4anXsE-Vkfb50FbU1WzCBwzNf8QyJ4DJgCGFv5Dhlgxh93KvbQTs5inA6XLSYFf361MsezvTaVeNBO2mLJmcWdSJkImZhYkZ0e2rA/s320/St+Vincent+volunteer+group+Nov+2013.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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February & November trips to St. Vincent de Paul store in Decatur to volunteer and help organize the store. Our crews do a great job!! </div>
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The Kates look snookered -- I'm happy to report that they <u>weren't</u>!</div>
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35368293.post-69943600448506741142013-11-07T09:44:00.000-05:002013-12-18T04:55:32.889-05:00Writing ExpectationsThis is one of those homeschooling walls I hit my head on over and over until I figured out what worked for our family. Amazing what you can figure out in 12 years. I'm just glad we have younger kids so I can apply my knowledge to the other kids. <span aria-hidden="true" class="emoticon_text">:-)</span><br />
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<span aria-hidden="true" class="emoticon_text"></span><span class="emoticon emoticon_smile" title=":-)">
<span style="font-family: Consolas;">For 1-2 grade, they do <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/tips-for-narration/" target="_blank">narrations</a> that I type up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For 3-4th grade, they do narrations that I
type up (~ 1 paragraph).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 3rd graders
use half of the narration for copywork (and we paste the other half onto the
paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 4th graders start with the
full narration as copywork and work into writing out their own narrations
through the year.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">For 4-6th, I expect 1 paragraph once a week in
history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don't do any re-writing, but
I will show them 1 major editing thing that I'd like them work on for the next
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">For 7-8, I expect 2-3 paragraphs once a week, with the
student starting to type them. I have them submit it to me half-way through the
week, we edit it together and they have to rewrite it to submit it by the end
of the week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For High School, I
ask for 4 - 2page papers, double-spaced & footnoted per semester plus one
4-6 page mini-research paper, double spaced & footnoted per semester.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mini-research paper has to have at least
3 sources and one of the sources must be from a print book (not a
webpage).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">The high school grade divisions don't come in paper
length, but in expectation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may let a
9th grader off the hook for research papers & footnotes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may let a 10th grader off the hook for
research papers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm more picky grading
11th & 12th grade papers and they don't get out of anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">Often, I will alternate expecting a history paper every
other week with expecting a literature paper every other week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More academic-minded kids will have more than
one paper assigned per week - but that depends on the kid and is the exception,
not the rule.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">(Only in my dreams do I get all this done with all 5 kids
each week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm much better at holding
the older kids accountable and hit or miss on the younger kids.)</span></div>
Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572627516174897496noreply@blogger.com0