One more week of school!

The boys have one more week of school left! I can't wait until they are done with their projects so I can post pictures of them. At first I really really wanted them to look better than everyone else's project but when I finally sat back and quit obsessing, I remembered that the main theme is for the kids to have fun with it. They are really enjoying it too. This week Miles has to finish writing his 7 paragraph report and Mendel has two more to go. I am so proud of what they have done so far. You can tell they are enjoying it.

Writing and stuff

I have been writing on Associated Content and I started on hubpages too. I need to work on my helium content too. But I am having fun with the writing. I don't get to spend oodles of time on it though. I am going to focus on it during the summer and post my articles once a week rather than everytime I publish something. I don't want my blog to turn into a huge ad for me LOL.

Ah, I must go for now. I am going to finish dressing up my blog.

I am back! YEA!

We are back in California. Actually we have been back but I am working at getting organized again. Isn't that exciting!

Today was the boys consultation at school. We are doing great! Good news is that I can turn in work any day any time (assuming they are open) so I don't have to spend a day trying to hunt down all their assignments.

I am taking a writing course. I am just waiting for the materials to get here so I can start it. I am also taking a math course. Yes, voluntarily!

I will update the blog a little more later. I just hate to see it sitting here all un-updated! Especially after the great email from the Dad with kids who has been reading this as inspiration that he won't have to wait until the kids move out to persue a boater's lifestyle. I'll post some thoughts on that for you later. And thanks so much for the email. It really made my day knowing that someone reads the blog.

The Trip To Texas and Back... AKA How spoiled am i?

So we went to Texas this last month. I am never going back. Oh the stay was nice and all, but there are BUGS in Texas... and Heat... and rain... and I had to get a JOB! Oh. My. Gawd! But it was still fun. Maybe I'll go back if it snows or something, but but beyond that, hell no! My bug bites have bug bites and I missed Epiphany. And I missed the palm trees. And it got muggy and I actually sweated... ew! LMAO. I am so spoiled. Actually I am not spoiled, my husband just loves me that much :)

But we are back now. We are in California again. No, I didn't move to TX. But I have a lovely photo box of CD's to show their teacher next Tuesday. And Mom printed out labels to make shirts with that say "Where in the World is Early, TX?" Hee hee hee.

When we got back to California we spent a day at Sea World. We went to the beach, went to the pool, went to a concert near the bay... you'd think that was the vacation. LOL

Now the boys are in sailing camp! They have 5 days of sailing lessons with a class of kids. They are having a blast! Really, you'd think we spoiled them! We're having a campfire tonight with smores and I am enjoying getting to walk the beach every day again. Next week I'll start adding updates on school.

The dockmaster here at the cove said that he'll be calling us "soon" about a live aboard slip. I wish I knew what soon meant. I am so excited! I can't wait to get that slip! WOOHOO! Soon-ish we'll be live aboards! I'll be a spoiled rotten beach bum! Oh wait, I already am!

Also next week will be the start of me working on selling items on eBay again. I am hoping to bring in more money to help pay off our bills faster. Then we can be debt free! That would be VERY nice!

I better run for now. I am going to go have lunch with the boys.

I'm getting organized!

I am getting organized this week. I am taking an online class on how to make a Master Plan Book for the home. I am making it but it's being put in my palm pilot. Less clutter and all that! It's really helping!

I found a way to save money while doing laundry too! There are 2 driers there that are 25 cents per 15 minutes. The other four are $1.00 per 45 minutes. If I use the .25 per 15 minutes, I save .25 a drier load. That's $2 a week! Or $104 a year! Go me!

The boys are on "spring break" for school. That means we're practicing math and reading and that's it. Right now they are testing their theory on currents. If they put a toy in the water and let it float it'll end up over here... They forgot the part of "unless it sinks" BAHAHA!

I am busy cleaning out the RV of junk and stuff. Today I'll be getting rid of some bags of stuff by putting the stuff away. And I STILL need to download the pictures from the camera... it's a work in progress really :)

Our Big Day Updated

We went to the school and talked to the consultant. The boys are loaded down with books. We're giving Saxon Math a try and backtracking to make sure we haven't missed anything. Their science books look interesting. They have hands on activities! So I am excited about that. They both have Social Studies books. Mendel's is about family (I REFUSE to do a family tree) and Miles is about communities and cultures. They should be fun! Their reading is read stuff you like (for Miles and Mendel) and Hooked On Phonics to make sure we covered everything. Miles will breeze through it! I am going to stick to the Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Lessons for Mendel. So far we both agree on everything. I have to bring in samples of later work for the next meeting (on the 30th) because I didn't realize I needed to do that this time. Oopsy! I think this will work. The only thing I don't like is the "school day" is Mon-Fri on the chart. But I'll just continue as before and mark it down on Mon-Fri. Poo! I don't like that. But it'll still work. Oh, and they don't count holidays either. ptttttth.

Today is Grandma Foot's Memorial

We'll go to the Memorial Service today. Dad is doing the eulogy. He read it to us last night and it is WONDERFUL! It is just what Grandma would have wanted. I'll ask if I can post it here later. We are off.

Until later,
Dotchi

Tomorrow is our big day

I finally decided to sign up through a charter school. Technically we aren't homeschoolers anymore. Our Charter School is a public school so my kiddo's are public school kids. BUT, we still educate at home.

It's a pretty cool system (so far so good...) as far as I can tell. They provide all the curriculum and everything (and offer classes) and we do all the educating at home. We are allowed to educate how we see fit (even unschool) and report to them once a month what we are doing and how it is going. They'll offer suggestions and everything! We don't HAVE to do what they suggest, but we can. And if something isn't working, we can switch styles as many times as we need until we find what works.

This was something dh and I talked about for awhile. We started out as independant homeschoolers. Then we went to a cover school. Now that we are here, he has really upped his worry level. And so did I! Are they learning enough? Are we teaching enough? Are we harming them? So I looked into the charter school option. I talked to a lady who homeschools through this option. She told me all about GSDA and what it was like. Honestly, I thought it sounded too good to be true. A public school that lets you homeschool?

Well, I called and made the appointment and went down there to see if it was really like she said. It was! The lady I talked to was REALLY enthusiastic which freaked me out at first. I could only think about the times I was in public school. Any teacher THAT excited meant you would be piled down with homework and really all that smiling and bouncing meant she was really a bitch and you'd find that out in week 2.

But this lady agreed with me on everything I said about homeschooling. I even asked a ton of questions and her answers told me what I wanted to hear and more. It's just like the other lady described. Nothing hidden (so far), nothing sinister. I am still wondering b/c my sinister self is waiting for something, the catch. But it is all cool so far and tomorrow is the big day. We go in and discuss curriculum.

Now, we talked about it in orientation so it shouldn't be too bad. The boys know what they want and so far Ms Carol is totally cool with it all. She thinks theme units are cool and she's willing to set us up however we want. I am still blown away! But I mean, really... how can you NOT like a teacher that shows up to orientation dressed up in a gold diggers outfit... pippy braids and all! She's my type of teacher. I'll let you know how week 2 goes heeheehee.