Thursday, February 26, 2009
I Won!
I really can't believe this...but I won a giveaway for 12 unit studies from HS Highlights! I am so excited. I browsed the selection and found several for the American Girl books which Princess TD just adores! There were also some for picture books that Little TD loves! I am so excited to have won and can't wait to incorporate them into our schooling!
You Homeschool?
Several times in the last week when we have been out and about at various things, we have been confronted by the most popular reason not to homeschool....socialization! It amazes me that this is the first objection, not whether they are learning math (an essential skill), or history, grammar, writing or how to read (another essential skill).
Before, I go into my personal thoughts on this topic let me say and agree that homeschooling is not for every parent or every child. It is not the best choice for everyone, but it is the best choice for my family and me. So, this is written from my perspective as a homeschool mom and I am in no way implying that this applies to everyone, just my family.
My first thought every time I hear this is "Really, have you MET my children?" They make friends everywhere we go. Here are a few examples that come to mind:
Before, I go into my personal thoughts on this topic let me say and agree that homeschooling is not for every parent or every child. It is not the best choice for everyone, but it is the best choice for my family and me. So, this is written from my perspective as a homeschool mom and I am in no way implying that this applies to everyone, just my family.
My first thought every time I hear this is "Really, have you MET my children?" They make friends everywhere we go. Here are a few examples that come to mind:
- Last week on a field trip to the museum, Princess TD was conversing with one of the more mature women at our church about things she likes and about her favorite part of the exhibit. (Which by the way were the scrolls we saw from Luke that told the story of the birth of Jesus, and the HUGE bathtub.)
- We went to Lowe's to buy some flowers for our flower beds, and she struck up a conversation with the vendor there arranging her flowers on display about what would be a good flower for our sunny yard.
- We went to our neighborhood park to play in the morning, and we met a couple of kids in town from New Orleans for their Mardi Gras break and they instantly hit it off. The girl ran around with Princess TD laughing and playing just like schoolgirls at recess. The boy and Little TD played trucks in the sand.
My children are very social and have no problems talking to children their own age, or to adults that are twice my age. They are cautious when they speak to strangers (which I am grateful for) but they are not afraid to talk, ask questions or learn from anyone.
Consider with me the other side of the coin.
Did you talk a lot in school? I did. I was almost always in trouble for talking or asking questions at inappropriate times. I do admit that it was a long time ago that I was in elementary school, but I can't imagine it has changed much. So really do you get much "social" interaction in school?
Princess TD is very strong willed, and is pretty much a leader. She does have a tendency to follow when she "likes" another child. What I mean here is, if someone is pretty, or is wearing an outfit she likes, she will do what that child does to be like that child. She is very concerned about her clothes and whether or not she looks pretty. (Yes, I am dreading the teenage years!) I see that as a problem for learning in a group setting.
Thank you for your concern about the development of my children. However, before you begin to make generalized comments about them, please take a few moments to get to know them and tailor your comments to something that actually applies to them. :)
As a parting thought, I will leave you with a comment from the 2nd grader down the street:
"My teacher doesn't like us. She is making us take this really big test. It's the TAKS test."
Hmmm....
Monday, February 16, 2009
Field Trip
We took a field trip last week to the local fire station. It was a lot of fun. We learned how close the fire trucks were to our house in case of an emergency. We looked at all of the trucks and Little TD was the first one to point out the generator. He is truly all boy! They weren't too excited to climb into the trucks, but I was able to get a couple of pictures of them on the front. Here they are:
Not the happiest of pictures!
The whole gang!
We are looking forward to our field trip later this week to the Birth of Christianity exhibit later this week. It should be a lot of fun!
On Saturday, we went to the RV Show with Grandma and Grandpa TD. We had fun drooling over the RVs and dreaming about what we would pick out. We were able to meet Yogi Bear and the Geico Gecko. I was only able to get a picture of Yogi, and only if I was in it, Little TD was afraid of the bear!
They both look terrified in the picture, I think they might have been! The gecko was another story...Little TD ran up to the green lizard and gave him a high five right away! It was so quick, I didn't have a chance to get my camera out...maybe next time! Princess TD was not so impressed...the lizard is a BOY thing (or so she says!).
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy...
Heart Day! I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day.
This year we are participating in a home school Valentine's swap. We are receiving cards from all over the country and even one from Canada! It is so much fun marking on the map where our "friends" live and learning about the places they live!
This year we are participating in a home school Valentine's swap. We are receiving cards from all over the country and even one from Canada! It is so much fun marking on the map where our "friends" live and learning about the places they live!
Monday, February 9, 2009
My BIG Weekend!
I am still recovering from my BIG weekend! It was such a fun time, I just don't think I can do it justice here.
Awhile back, while reading my friend D'Lyn's blog, I came across a video clip of comedian Tim Hawkins. I checked out his website (www.timhawkins.net) and woke my kids from their nap because I was laughing so hysterically! I discovered he was going to be doing a show at a church nearby, so I sent Mr. TD an e-mail and told him that's where I wanted to go for my birthday. We have some friends who attend that church, so he contacted them to find out what he needed to do. We went. We laughed...and laughed...and laughed. So much so that our stomachs were sore from all of the laughing. We had a blast and met some great folks in the process. I have to say if you ever get the chance to see this guy, you must go!
Mr. TD had also told me that some dear friends of ours were planning to watch our kids on Saturday afternoon so that we could go to a movie. JSue and Rod had offered to watch the kids so that we could go out for Mr. TD's birthday, so I guess he thought it would be good to do that for mine too. Except that is not what was really planned...they planned a surprise party for my 40th birthday! While we were at the movie (we saw Paul Blart: Mall Cop, which we thought was very funny) a few of my close friends and their families assembled at JSue and Rod's house. I had absolutely no clue! I can't even imagine the look on my face when I came around the corner and saw a family that I KNEW wasn't supposed to be there! I must have looked very confused! Several in attendance even perpetuated the cover-up by trying to distract me with messages on my actual birthday! You all got me good! Just remember I was the first, and I have a few years to plan for your BIG days!
Really, I do love all of you guys and it is really special to me that you would come join us to celebrate my birthday. I am so blessed to call you all my friends.
After being out late on Friday night and late on Saturday night, I bet you can guess how church went on Sunday morning! Little TD would not stop whining all through the prayers and devotional (our speaker was a missionary from Croatia, and he is always good and inspirational so I didn't want anyone around me to miss it). He wanted his stuffed puppy (which he chose to leave in the car) and his binky (which he only gets when he sleeps...yes, he's 3 and still has a binky...bad Mom!) and there was nothing I could say or do to calm him. Mr. TD was working (he helps out with a couple of ministries during service), so I packed up both kids and headed to the cry room. I made Princess TD leave one of her good buddies, which upset her immensely, so she began the whining game. For some reason, we have a couple of families who sit in the cry room instead of going into the auditorium, they have done it for years, and they don't have little ones who are making noise. So, I come in with my 2 whining children, and disturb them. I realize that if they didn't like it, they could go into the auditorium, after all, there was room, we had just left. However, I felt bad for "disturbing" their experience, so again, I packed up my children. As I entered the foyer, Mr. TD was finishing up and I said, let's just go home. So we did. We went home, had lunch and crashed! We all needed a nap! We finished out the weekend with pizza and a movie night!
It was a great weekend! Thank you to everyone who helped to make it so special!
Awhile back, while reading my friend D'Lyn's blog, I came across a video clip of comedian Tim Hawkins. I checked out his website (www.timhawkins.net) and woke my kids from their nap because I was laughing so hysterically! I discovered he was going to be doing a show at a church nearby, so I sent Mr. TD an e-mail and told him that's where I wanted to go for my birthday. We have some friends who attend that church, so he contacted them to find out what he needed to do. We went. We laughed...and laughed...and laughed. So much so that our stomachs were sore from all of the laughing. We had a blast and met some great folks in the process. I have to say if you ever get the chance to see this guy, you must go!
Mr. TD had also told me that some dear friends of ours were planning to watch our kids on Saturday afternoon so that we could go to a movie. JSue and Rod had offered to watch the kids so that we could go out for Mr. TD's birthday, so I guess he thought it would be good to do that for mine too. Except that is not what was really planned...they planned a surprise party for my 40th birthday! While we were at the movie (we saw Paul Blart: Mall Cop, which we thought was very funny) a few of my close friends and their families assembled at JSue and Rod's house. I had absolutely no clue! I can't even imagine the look on my face when I came around the corner and saw a family that I KNEW wasn't supposed to be there! I must have looked very confused! Several in attendance even perpetuated the cover-up by trying to distract me with messages on my actual birthday! You all got me good! Just remember I was the first, and I have a few years to plan for your BIG days!
Really, I do love all of you guys and it is really special to me that you would come join us to celebrate my birthday. I am so blessed to call you all my friends.
After being out late on Friday night and late on Saturday night, I bet you can guess how church went on Sunday morning! Little TD would not stop whining all through the prayers and devotional (our speaker was a missionary from Croatia, and he is always good and inspirational so I didn't want anyone around me to miss it). He wanted his stuffed puppy (which he chose to leave in the car) and his binky (which he only gets when he sleeps...yes, he's 3 and still has a binky...bad Mom!) and there was nothing I could say or do to calm him. Mr. TD was working (he helps out with a couple of ministries during service), so I packed up both kids and headed to the cry room. I made Princess TD leave one of her good buddies, which upset her immensely, so she began the whining game. For some reason, we have a couple of families who sit in the cry room instead of going into the auditorium, they have done it for years, and they don't have little ones who are making noise. So, I come in with my 2 whining children, and disturb them. I realize that if they didn't like it, they could go into the auditorium, after all, there was room, we had just left. However, I felt bad for "disturbing" their experience, so again, I packed up my children. As I entered the foyer, Mr. TD was finishing up and I said, let's just go home. So we did. We went home, had lunch and crashed! We all needed a nap! We finished out the weekend with pizza and a movie night!
It was a great weekend! Thank you to everyone who helped to make it so special!
Friday, February 6, 2009
My Crafty Side
I have been making baby blankets for my friends like crazy these days. It seems that we are in the midst of another baby boom. My Mom is so thrilled that I am now sewing, even though it's not much. I am tempted to attempt to make Princess TD some clothes for this summer, since we are having such a hard time finding her clothes.
I have been using sissors that were passed down to my by my Mom 13 years ago, and prior to that, she used them for as long as I can remember. I have had them sharpened several times, but I think they are getting toward the end of their useful life. So, for my birthday, I asked for new sissors. Guess what...I got some! They are comfort grip which I totally love! I have been cutting and sewing all day, and my hand doesn't hurt! I may keep my well loved trusty ones as a back up, but I have a new favorite!
I also use my Mom's old sewing machine. It was one she bought when her computerized one quit, so it's pretty simple, but it works. I am really not sure how old it is, but I know that it has never been covered in it's life. Since I don't sew often, just in spurts, I thought it would be best if it had some sort of cover. For Christmas, Mr. TD bought me a hard case, but it was HUGE compared with the size of my machine. I made a really cute reversible cover for it today! Princess TD picked out the fabric at WalMart yesterday. So for a mere $5, my machine has a new cover!
Here are a few of the crafty type projects I have done recently.
I am really having fun, but I think I will be putting up my machine for a while, so please don't surprise me with more babies! :)
I have been using sissors that were passed down to my by my Mom 13 years ago, and prior to that, she used them for as long as I can remember. I have had them sharpened several times, but I think they are getting toward the end of their useful life. So, for my birthday, I asked for new sissors. Guess what...I got some! They are comfort grip which I totally love! I have been cutting and sewing all day, and my hand doesn't hurt! I may keep my well loved trusty ones as a back up, but I have a new favorite!
I also use my Mom's old sewing machine. It was one she bought when her computerized one quit, so it's pretty simple, but it works. I am really not sure how old it is, but I know that it has never been covered in it's life. Since I don't sew often, just in spurts, I thought it would be best if it had some sort of cover. For Christmas, Mr. TD bought me a hard case, but it was HUGE compared with the size of my machine. I made a really cute reversible cover for it today! Princess TD picked out the fabric at WalMart yesterday. So for a mere $5, my machine has a new cover!
Here are a few of the crafty type projects I have done recently.
I am really having fun, but I think I will be putting up my machine for a while, so please don't surprise me with more babies! :)
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Just a Thought...
So, there are at least 3 of us in our young moms group at church who are having birthdays this week. One is 20 something, one is 30 something, and one is moving on to that age that we used to think was old (gee, I wonder who that might be?!?). We were talking after bible class this morning and the 20 something mom told me that I don't look THAT old. Well I don't feel that old. I am not sure how old I feel, but certainly not old enough to say I am THAT old.
My sweet sister and her family gave me a perpetual calendar for Christmas. I didn't check it before I left this morning, but I did check it this evening as I was cooking dinner. The quote for today was:
"You are not old unless you get wrinkles in your heart."
I will leave you with that thought and hope it cheers you if you are feeling old!
My sweet sister and her family gave me a perpetual calendar for Christmas. I didn't check it before I left this morning, but I did check it this evening as I was cooking dinner. The quote for today was:
"You are not old unless you get wrinkles in your heart."
I will leave you with that thought and hope it cheers you if you are feeling old!
It's Been a While
I haven't posted much here lately. We have kept ourselves very busy the last couple of weeks. School is going well and we are chugging right along. I just love that I am able to teach Princess TD how to read and add. We are having fun and Little TD loves joining in with us doing his own school.
As much as I love homeschooling, I am having a difficulty keeping up with everything else. I have been plagued by headaches the last few weeks and I have to rest when they rest. Not much happens with both of them up and running around!
We are looking forward to a visit from Grandma and Grandpa next week and going to the RV show with them. I think we will be overwhelmed and really drooling over the trailers on display. We have been contemplating selling the boat and getting a trailer...we just can't decide. The main factor...the boat is paid in full! We do like camping in a tent, but in Texas, the season for "comfortable" tent camping is very short. Decisions, decisions....
As much as I love homeschooling, I am having a difficulty keeping up with everything else. I have been plagued by headaches the last few weeks and I have to rest when they rest. Not much happens with both of them up and running around!
We are looking forward to a visit from Grandma and Grandpa next week and going to the RV show with them. I think we will be overwhelmed and really drooling over the trailers on display. We have been contemplating selling the boat and getting a trailer...we just can't decide. The main factor...the boat is paid in full! We do like camping in a tent, but in Texas, the season for "comfortable" tent camping is very short. Decisions, decisions....
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