I love this time of year because I spend most of it in the kitchen! I love cookin' up new treats to try out on friends and family. Even though I have to admit, I am not a very good pie maker. Well, I wasn't until I discovered no bake pies! I really urge you to check out this site for some wonderful treats!
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Pages/home.aspx
At this time of year we tend to be lax on school, and usually have 3-4 days of lessons instead of 5. There is so much going on and so much to do, I couldnt imagine trying to fit it all in! We really focus on family and have a few family traditions. For example, we cut down our own tree, we read the "Night Before Christmas" on Christmas eve, we don't do Christmas dinner but a HUGE breakfast instead( we have snack platters and treats for all day grazing)... these traditions are more then that they are memories. What are some of your traditions and memories? What makes this season special to you?  Has the bleak economy changed any of your traditions?

Tis the season....
Tanna

Remember a while back I told you about Keagens First talent show? I am FINALLY able to show it to you! She was 11 when she sang this and has never has lessons. We are still trying to find someone to coach/teach her

My daughter is no longer a little girl. Today she turned 12 and is at that not a little girl,not a woman stage. This year she requested a non cake birthday cake( I know,figure that one out!) SOOO, heres my 12 year old and heres her non cake, cake!

 BTW...non-cake, cake http://ricekrispies.com/search/scotcheroos.aspx#/recipes/chocolate-scotcheroos

 

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?

Giving thanks for all the time we have,

Tanna

I have told you all before I have a daughter with severe dyslexia. She writes letters and words backwards and sometimes speaks backwards! Reading is VERY difficult for her,but she tries and somedays can do very well. Most of the stories/books she has are on tape becasue she absorbs them that way. At least until recently....Mack has discovered the Goosebumps books by  RL Stine. She has actually READ(without help) 6 of them. I am NOT a big fan of these books because I don't feel they honor Christ in ANY way....but at the same time she has never read books like she is now( on her own and without being asked or told its reading time).I have tried to get her to read stories that will/would inspire her heart, to no avail. So I am at a cross roads, do I tell her to stop reading because they dont 'do' anything for her mind or soul OR do I embrace the fact that shes reading on her own and just pray she grows out of them and into something that will enhance her as a young lady with a servants heart? Would like to hear your thoughts.....

 

 

 

 

I am obviously a supporter of the Exodus Mandate ! Please read about it here... http://exodusmandate.org/

 

I have a new obsession and please don't laugh, it is a noble obsession like Avon or Tupperware; yes, I am cutting coupons! Now before you giggle and roll your eyes let me explain. It happend accidently, it was an experiment, really. See, I saw this news story about this lady whos grocery bill was $140 and after her coupons she paid $5 !  I thought HOW can I do that? Wait, can I do that? So, I clipped coupons a couple of weeks ago, first I had to call wal mart to see if they take them(they do) and the ones you print out (they do). My first week with coupons I took $8 off my bill. I thought 'not to bad,wounder if I can do better...'  As an experiment I went to Shaws with a sale flyer,mfg.coupons and coupons I printed off Shaws website. My Bill was $40 and after coupons it was $7 ! WHOO HOOO! This past week I took $20 off my wal-mart bill! I think I got it figured out! I used to laugh at "coupon queens" and roll my eyes that they would spend time cutting coupons that got them 50 cents off. It never occured to me that LOTS of items are $1 or more off and in this economy every 50 cents helps! I cant wait for the next bogo at my local grocery store. Sorry ladies, if you get behind me in line I WILL have anywhere from 8-15 coupons from now on! ;) Yes I have become one of THEM, the coupon queens! You can join the ranks by starting here www.coupons.com 

Happy couponing

Tanna

Have I told you I have a talented daughter? No, really I do! She can sing, I mean really well! She was in the town talent show last Saturday and she did great! I was SO proud! She was super bummed with her performance, she said her voice was tight becasue of nerves...but for her first time out, she did AWESOME! She may have thought she did bad, but she did well enough that the local theatre wants her to try out for their production of Bye Bye Birdie ! I thought that was pretty cool!  Heres my little song bird before her debut!

 

 

 

 

Just Say No to HR 3221

Over decade ago, I called a journalist from the Wall Street Journal to discuss the expanding federal role in education and the move toward national curriculum and standards in America. He didn't want to hear about it. In fact, he laughed loudly in my ear and said, "It'll never happen. The American people would never stand for it." He was wrong.

This week, in the House of Representatives, is scheduled to consider and possibly vote on H.R. 3221, The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA). HR 3221 expands the federal role in education by taking over the student loan industry and includes a provision which allows the Secretary of Education to develop and disseminate a free online national curriculum both for high school and post-secondary education (Section 505) and establishes Pre-K learning programs and standards (Section 401).

RedState calls the bill unprecedented and unecessary. Indeed, it is.

The Constitution provides for no federal role in education; Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan previously stated that education was a "state and local issue." When the Department of Education was formed ( 20 U.S.C. § 3403) the statute prohibited the department from "increasing the authority of the Federal Government over education" and did not authorize the Secretary to "exercise any direction, supervision, or control over curriculum." HR 3221 does both.

HR 3221 is a back door approach to the ultimate objective - national standards benchmarked internationally.

If the Department of Education is given half a billion dollars to create and disseminate a national online curriculum it will likely become the framework for a national standard. The money will be passed on to states which align their curriculum and standards to the new national online curriculum. Never mind that it violates the Constitution and usurps their authority, for many state politicians and Governors, that's an offer that's too good to refuse. And if they want to align those standards to the rest of the world, that's okay too. We're all citizens of the world who need to be prepared to compete in a the global economy.

These provisions are nestled in a larger proposal to help make college affordable for more Americans and to promote early-learning and "school readiness" for children from birth to age 5. That's not surprising.

HR 3221 streamlines federal financial aid and removes subsidies to private lenders for college loans. This consolidates the power to determine who gets a grant or a loan under the direct authority of the federal government and will eventually render graduates who did not complete the federally approved national curriculum ineligible for financial aid. (In 2006, even the New York Times saw the danger this posed to private and homeschoolers.) It will also allow the federal government to require community service for all students who receive a student loan or aid. Something that would be much harder to do if the money came from a private lender. Remember, Obama promised a civilian national security force

In the past, HSLDA has warned of the dangers of a national curriculum and standards to homeschoolers. In July of this year, they also encouraged strong opposition to HR 3221 because of the early learning provision. They rightly asserted that, "Parents, not federal or state officials should decide what is appropriate for their children." There have been no further updates.

Given that the House will debate and vote on the bill this week and Republicans lawmakers are struggling to come up with good arguments against the legislation, I hope that HSLDA and other homeschool advocates like Homeschool Legal Advantage provide more information, alert their members, and encourage strong opposition to HR 3221.

UPDATE: Since I posted early this AM, HSLDA has updated the link from July 20 and now has included information regarding the federal takeover of student loans. and linked funding to service programs.

H.R. 3221 will greatly increase the size and power of the federal government and fundamentally alter the student loan process by federalizing all student loans: Currently, many college students obtain student loans through private entities. H.R. 3221 will change this by federalizing all student financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education will be tasked with administering and supporting all student loans, which will greatly increase the federal government’s role and power in education.

They provide no information the Open Online Education provision which allows the federal government to develop and disseminate online and college curriculum.

- Spunky

Cross posted with permission from Spunky Homeschool.

 

 

 

OK heres my life in a nut shell( or single blog entry). Mack is turning 10 this weekend and I am a little sad about that. They grow up so quick. Hubby's birthday was last weekend, and he got a 'new to us' Harley. Its a nice bike, to bad I am scared to ride them! I think they should be called murder-cycles.

Anyway, the kids are REALLY ready to start school, and I am trying to hold them off  by letting them do work books. I am not ready to start and I havent ordered all the supplies yet. I will do that the 1st of Sept.  So, our first day will be prob. be the 7th. Did I tell you what I was using this year? I cant remember...ok I'll tell you again

Math= Systematic Math for Keagen and Sawyer-upton 5/6 grade for Mack.

Science= Apologia

History= Mystery of History

English= Alpha Omega

Thats the basic 4 we also have Bible, Art and Music. Plus all the Co-op classes...will be  busy year and I can understand the kids eagerness! I am waiting for the weather to "feel" like school. That fall feel. I bet we get an early fall here, with all the extreme weather we've had this summer, the leaves started turning 2 weeks ago! That means a LONG winter...be prepared folks!

Have a good one and check out Hubbys murder-cycle.

Tanna

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool moms/famlies....

I may be looking at using Switched On Schoolhouse for 6th grade math next year ( not for me, for my oldest), But I was wondering can I reuse the program for my youngest next year? Is there am option to print out work sheets or is it all computer work?

Thanks !

 

 

 

Blessed is the man who believes.......

Gloomy weather here for the past week or so!  I took the kids to the beach today anyway, we needed to get out of the house !  Ready to see the sun....

Not much else to report or to share, been really quiet here. We are house hunting still and still not finding anything to meet our needs,never mind our wants! We have even been looking in the 5 surrounding towns and still, nothing. We'll keep on until we find it, it has to be out there. I have a tech question for any of you in the know....how do i change a windows movie maker project into a windows media file? I want to post a video we made in movie maker but facebook only allows media files.....am stuck on this one.

Thanks and may the Lord bless you and keep you

Tanna

Keagen is really sick. Shes sicker then she has been in long time.  Shes been up till 3am the past few nights with vomiting and 'bathroom' visits.  Today she was finally able to keep down some toast and soup. She is very weak because shes dehydrated so she is complaining alot. She is a person who hates to be bed bound for ANY reason, but she literaly has to rest after coming down the stairs. Have you ever been so whiped out that lifting your arm seems to take all your strength? Thats her right now...poor thing. So, thats my life at the moment, tending a sick child and  trying to protect the rest of the house from getting it(as if thats even possiable).  Not much eles going on... I have gotten hooked on a TV series called McLeod's Daughters(http://www.amazon.com/McLeods-Daughters-Complete-First-Season/dp/B000GNOH82/ref=ntt_tv_ep_dpt). Its an Austrailan show and I have watched all of season 1 on netflix, their watch instantly feature. Anyway, I am waiting for season 2 to come tomorrow! If you like good TV drama,check it out.  

Hope you and yours are happy and healthy!

Tanna

Its rainy and 50 degrees outside, so theres stew in the crockpot and I will be making bread later for dinner. Wow, 50 in JUNE! Its got to be some sort of record low. Anyway, we are not doing much today I am going to help Mack make a mummy after lunch and Keag is playing a Nancy Drew game on the computer. We had a great weekend, we had a 'daddy date night' and we went out out for dinner, ice cream and a movie! I am hoping we can make it a monthly 'tradition'.

Just lazy summer(rainy and cold) days.. what are you up too?  Christine, how did the conference go?

Tanna

I've been spending alot of time looking at curriculum lately.. I have been a faithful user of My Father's World (www.mwfbooks.com) but am wanting to try something a little different this year. There are SO many options and choices it makes me want to stick with whats comfortable.  I cant help but feel overwhelmed, have youlooked at whats outthere? Its amazing. I really like this for Keag's math this year www.teachingtextbooks.com They have some great sample pages up which I let Keag try out and she loved them! Its a bit pricey for one child but the good news is I can re use the materials next year with Mack. So, for 2 years use it works out to $75 per year...I can handle that!

I was looking at www.themysteryofhistory.com Vol.2 for our history program. I like this one because I can get the history 'stories' on CD which Mack can listen to(she an audio/visual learner) after we've covered the topic. A friend of ours in the coop uses it and has offered to let us look at it! I am greatful because I like to actually look through the materials and see how a program is laid out.

I think we are going to go with Apologia for science (http://www.apologia.com) I have never used their stuff before, but I keep hearing rave reviews about it. I was exploring the web site and samples are provided,it looks like a great program worthy of the reviews.

 For language arts I am looking at something cheap that hits the basics and doesnt have a lot of fluff or time consuming projects. Both the girls got perfect scores on the CAT tests in the LA section so I can be a little lenient in this area. I still havent found what I am looking for, I may just go to the book store and grab one of those workbooks that 'meets standardized test requirements'.

For our Bible study I really want to focus on character, so I think I will come up with my own tailor-made study.

But so far, thats all I've come up with and havent commited to! Its in progress...

Have a great day

Tanna