Sunday, January 24, 2010

Happy Birthday Baby Boy

Do you see the little guy with the blonde flowy hair?
That is my son when he was little. This is him now......






Today is his 14th birthday!! My baby!!! My boy!! I remember the day he was born, just like it was yesterday. I will spare you the details, for now, but I look at this kid and wonder where the time went. Honestly, nothing will make time go faster then having kids. So, today I wish my baby boy a very happy birthday!! :o)

Friday, January 22, 2010

Miller Fisher Syndrome

I have a little bit updating to do here at the blog of mine. When the new year started I wanted to be faithful here to write about homeschooling and other life issues. However, life has taken a bit of a turn. My 15 year old daughter has an illness that has yet to be determined. The neurologist thinks its Miller Fisher Syndrome, but is not 100% sure. Since he is not sure my daughter has and will continue to see doctors and have more tests. It is a very unsettling and stressful time in our home.

She was not feeling that great last week, in her words she felt "funky". Then on Friday night, while at youth group, she had an episode where she could not stand. Her legs were wobbly, her vision faded, she could not see anything for 5 minutes, and she was unable to concentrate on anything. When she looks at you her eyes veer off to the right side, but yet she thinks she is looking right at you. If you ask her to touch you, she misses.

Needless to say, we took her to the emergency room on Friday night. They did blood tests and at CAT Scan and all came back negative. The doctor said that since it was not an emergency there was nothing he could do. He suggested that we see our regular doctor on Monday. So, Monday we went to the doctor who sent her for an emergency MRI. Praise God that came back normal, but since it did and she was having difficulties other tests were ordered. Blood tests, spinal tap, and a complete neurological exam by a fantastic neurologist.

The test results have all been within normal range, praise God. They do have some blood tests out still that are for very specific things. If it is Miller Fisher Syndrome there is nothing they can do. It is not fatal and will cure itself once it runs its course. This disease is very rare, so there is little information about it. It is brought on by a virus, any virus. Its not particular.

So, that has been our life. Homeschooling has kind of taken a back seat to doctors visits and just maintaining family life. I hope to get a schedule together over the weekend, so that the other two will have their work ready for them. If not, then I guess we go further into the summer break then we planned. Oh the joys of homeschooling!1 ;o)

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Favorite Curriculums

Through the years, we have used a variety of things. I thought it would be good to compile a list of the things that worked for us. Maybe another homeschool mom will stumble across this list and be helped as she searches out the "right fit" for her child.

Rod and Staff Preschool : This was a huge favorite of mine! The only student who used this was my daughter, who is now almost 16. I was never into using workbooks, but my little student was and these were the perfect fit for her. If ask her today about her preschool experience, she will remember using these books. She loved them!! :o)

Saxon Math : This is one program that we have consistently used will all the kids, except one. This curriculum can be expensive, but if you have more then one 'student' you can reuse the books. One of the best things about this curriculum is that when you reach the older grades the live helpline really does help. I have called with questions, and the people are always kind, friendly, and really walk me through so I can teach my children.

Beautiful Feet History : The only down side of this curriculum is I wish I had started it earlier!! I was always turned off by the price tag, however once I took the plunge it was great!! In all honesty I only bought the guides and then added the books from the library or other sources. We learned about the Middle Ages and American History with this program. The kids still remember facts about history, because they learned it through living books. Our lessons were not dull, but rather filled with learning about real people and real situations. Not just snippets of facts tossed out, but instead the whole story. I highly recommend this curriculum for any age group.

Around the World in 180 Days : Geography was a class I never had in public school. Yes, I learned the states and their capitols, but I never learned about the rest of the world. This curriculum is a multi level and uses many living books to help bring geography to life. I loved learning right along with my kids, and I will be doing this again next year on a higher level with my son.

That's all I have time for right now. I will post more as I get more time. Bookmark this page and check back in a week or so. ;o)




Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Menu Plan Monday 1-11-10

I'm late in posting this, but here it goes:

Monday~~ Homemade Chicken Soup with Bread and Butter

Tuesday~~ Elbows with Sauce

Wednesday~~ White Chili

Thursday~~ Ham and Cheese Quiche

Friday~~ Homemade Pizza

Saturday~~ Probably left overs

I'm running on a limited budget this week and probably next, so the meals will be what we have on hand.

Would you like to share your menu for the week and also find great new recipes? Visit here and join in the fun!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Every day I read a chapter from the Bible with my son, today we were reading from the book of John, chapter five. I cannot tell you how many times I have read about this incident, it is when Jesus heals the man laying by the pool at Bethsedia. In a nut shell, the guy cannot get into the pool when the waters are stirred because the faster people get there ahead of him. Jesus asks him if he wants to be healed and then tells him to pick up his mat and walk. The guy, picks up his mat and walks. Apparently he walks right by the Pharisees and since he is carrying a mat on the Sabbath they stop and question him as to why. He tells them he doesn't know why, but this guy told him to pick up his mat and walk. The Pharisees ask him who the guy is, but he apparently had no clue! Later Jesus found the same guy at the temple and said to him "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." The man then went on to tell the Pharisees that Jesus was the one who healed him.

I know this story well, but yet I never noticed:

1.) That Jesus found the man in the temple.

2.) That He talked to him and told him to stop sinning or something worse may happen to him.

3.) That the guy went and told the Pharisees who had healed him.

Wow!! I am amazed by this and still pondering it. Once I have something more coherent I plan on writing more. Just some random Bible thoughts for the day. :0]


Sunday, January 10, 2010

Womans Day Book 1-10-10

Outside My Window....sun is trying to break through the clouds and the temperature is around zero.

I am listening to... the dog jingle her collar.

I am wearing... socks, pajama pants, and a big ol' comfy sweatshirt.

I am thankful... for heat, it is very cold outside.

I am pondering... the meaning of "purpose" and how to put it into practice.

I am reading... The Left Behind Series. I just finished Apollyon, will move onto the next one today.

From the kitchen... making chicken stock and then homemade chicken soup.

I am creating... a comfy place for my family.

I am thinking... that the more I get of stuff, the more stuff I want to get rid of.

I am going... no where that I know of.

Around the house... today I'm planning on chilling with my hubby. :o)

One of my favorite things... listening to Beth Moore teach.

Friday, January 8, 2010

So Quiet

It is so very quiet here, the kids are off to youth group and hubby is sound asleep. Times like this is when I love to listen to air1 , check out my facebook page, listen to Beth Moore , do a Bible study using blue letter bible, watch a show on hulu, or come here and blog about portions of my life for complete strangers to read. :o] Tonight I choose blogging......

Today was a chilly day up here in the north country. The goats coats are getting full and they are looking very fat, which helps them when the thermometer plummets. They are still munching on the remnants of a friends Christmas tree, and I think they appreciate it very much. A week ago the goats finished off our tree, and they were very excited to have another one. I should take some pictures of what a Christmas tree looks like after 3 goats have munched on it for a week. It is not a jolly sight, to say the least.

School is going good. We seem to be on target to finish up in the beginning of June, which is a good thing since I like taking the summers off. I need to order a few more pieces for our curriculum, mainly Algebra 2 for my daughter. She completed a school years worth of Chemistry in less then 4 months and came out of it with a 97 average. My other daughter is in her senior year and focusing on essay writing. It is fun. If you like writing essays, which I'm not so sure my daughter does. LOL Then there's the boy, who is having a better year then last year. His reading is coming along, which is a huge praise. He still has a ways to go, but I praise God that it is easier then last year. I found a great math program for him from Alpha Omega, it is the Switched on Schoolhouse Computer version. It is a natural fit, since he loves the computer and finds it easier to deal with then pencil and paper. I love it, because every day that is the one subject he really looks forward to and right now the one he excels at. My plan is to get the Language Arts too, but for now it is in the "want to buy" list.

My van is still in the shop. The engine blew over the Thanksgiving weekend and until we get our income tax return it is sitting just waiting. I think its lonely, but aside from visiting it and bringing warm cookies there's not much else I can do. ;o) Since the van has been out of commission that means I've been at home, which is not a bad place to be. The only down side is that I really and I mean really miss going to our new church. We had only been there a couple months and were getting settled in and meeting people, when the van broke. Praise God for the small group of Bible study ladies, we still keep in touch and they have been here for Bible study. I still miss the fellowship of church though. One thing is for sure, it is only for a season, as is everything.

Well, that's it for here. Everything is caught up and till next time have a blessed day/night in the Lord!







Thursday, January 7, 2010

2010 Goals

No resolutions, only goals:

* Help develop woman's ministry in our church.

* Pray daily for the needs of the women in the this ministry.

* Finish the Small Group Leadership training I started a couple months ago.

* Volunteer at least 3 hours a week at our local PCC.

* Get our family budget under control so it is more manageable and has less surprises.

* Write 6 songs of healing.

* Complete my word study for "purpose", and then share it on this blog.

* Exercise a minimum of 30 minutes 5 days a week.

* Find healthy alternatives for boxed foods and incorporate them into our meals.

* Be purposeful in my marriage relationship, I think you can read between the lines on that one. ;o)

There is more, but I think that list is a good one to focus on. I look forward to serving the Lord in a new and fresh way this year. He has been faithful to me, I pray that this year I can be more faithful to Him.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Parent -- Student Meetings

As we enter new year and the word purpose is at the front of my mind, I did something that I have not done very often. I set up a parent-student meeting. Public schools have teacher-parent meetings to discuss how the student is doing, so why not have them at home with the student?

First I looked over my high school students classes and credits from previous years. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they both exceeded the minimum 20 credits for a basic diploma at the local high school.

Next I went over their current curriculum with them, asking them what they felt may be lacking and what was working. We then made a list of material to add this year, that would round off their education experience.

I met with each child individually and each helped come up with their own goals for the rest of the year. It did not take a long time, no longer then checking out blogs or various websites. I plan on meeting again at the end of the year to plan out goals for the summer and coming year.

Do you meet with your homeschool student to discuss goals for the year? I would love to hear about what has worked and has not worked.