I find posting photos tricky, too. I usually put my photos in first, before putting the text in...then I move them around, you can click and drag them some. I frustrate myself to no end when I move them around and try to delete the spaces and then delete the photo, grrr. I would welcome and easier, better working way...

mine's up too, just trying to get back into the saddle of posting again... I guess we are early...the hub is not even up yet! happy WW everyone! Wordless Wednesday-Spring

we had 5th's go thru our house, and it looked "lacey" on their arms. I took my baby (at the time) to the pediatrician and she knew right away what it was. hope you all feel better soon.

wow Michelle, they accused him of cheating! Ha!! I did not learn my multiplication tables ( I still don't know them all..but I think I know more now after working with my kids) at around 4th grade I started failing math because of this and the school pulled me out for special math help everyday with a special math teacher (I'm wondering now if they labeled that special ed or special services...) This special teacher really only sat there and gave me extra math worksheets to complete, which I did. He never figured out my problem- I couldn't multiply...I really wonder about them missing that! I figured out how to compensate and went on to take all the algebras including Algebra trig and geometry and I did well on the SAT. We just started homeschooling a friend's son, he is in 2nd grade and cannot read- the school tested him and promised all kinds of help, then after the testing offerred min. help...the mom got an advocate and pushed to get 90 minutes of reading help everyday and twice a week 30 minutes of speech thereapy- I was thinking of offering to homeschool him then (beginning of school year) but I thought, heck with 90 minutes a day help with reading- he'll be reading in no time, that's more time then I would sit down and do everyday!....we'll he still is not reading and I really wonder what they did with him each day. My memories of my math "help" tend to make me doubt they did anything helpful. we had our first reading session Friday, while I observed some things, it's too early to tell what is going on...I think he was nervous working with me and that might have slowed him down. Sometimes just watching and asking questions could tell you much, I wonder why the schools miss that?

I just started doing this, Friday was our first day...tho at first I was supposed to get 2 weeks to prepare, starting after spring break. I offered, because what was happening at public school was a train wreck, the student is in 2nd grade. We have it set up that the mom will buy books- although I have all the teacher's books of what I want to use already. She was already paying me $300 a month to pick him up and babysit him after school (this is the amount the public school would have charged her for afterschool care)- I decided to only charge her that amount to homeschool, because she is a single mom -yet we wanted to charge something for her conscience sake and also because if you do something for free people tend to count the worth cheaply, even if it is unintentional. This little boy cannot read and the school was not doing anything to change this, despite promises of services. We sat down, the adults and the boy this friday to tell him...gosh you should have seen the smile on his face ( a big thing, he does not talk to adults and barely talks to me) when he realized he would not be going back, and that on tuesdays he would be going to the skateboard park for p.e. with my boy and that once a month or so we would be going to Disneyland as a reward for a good month's work. The really big factor in all of this, is that he gets along really well with my kids and that he behaves for me and does what I say. Otherwise, I don't know if I would have offered. We also discussed things with his mom....what things I use to teach, what I will do with him, what she needs to buy. It helped that I have known her for 4 or 5 years now and that she already knows how our house runs. good luck with your decision.

I get that a lot, and I've never known a good response. I think it is a lot of hard work too, it's not that I was given 4 perfect angel children- I've worked hard to correct things with them, starting when it is just an attitude..way, way before ever getting to a mis-behaving point. I really have no good reply, because I am afraid of coming off sounding better-than-thou. I do get a little steamed when I am told I am "lucky" while chatting with a parent that does nothing as little Suzie screams in my child's face and grabs something away from her and the parent does not react, or correct -does nothing. ohhh, gotta stop now...

Welcome! I am using Phonics pathways with my K student, and with my new "bonus" student joining us after spring break, it's a nice reading program-not complicated..I've done complicated before. how great to be starting down this road so early, enjoy the ride!

mine is up, Happy WW! Hens helping out with the yard work, here: Hen gardening it's good to be back blogging after an unplanned blogging break!

Ellie, :lol: that was along the lines of what I was thinking! and Volty, I agree with you...I am really sad that this family is in the spotlight as homeschoolers, and as Christians..it makes me cringe. I am glad that others are thinking of us here, thanks

are you registered with blogger - and have a google account to sign in with? If not, then are you clicking the "anonymous" option?? just wondering.. forgive me if that was obvious...that was the only thing I could think of that might be wrong... maybe try using a different browser and see if it works then?

Well, I go back and forth between nothing has changed, and dread. I think for us, nothing will change much at first if it stands...though I can't see how it could stand... we are homeschooling through a charter school, so on the surface we would seem fine... and yet I dread any changes, because our good relationship with our charter is the result of our choices. The charter knows the parents can drop anytime and file an "R-4" (become our own private school) or join a different charter, or join an umbrella private school, our choice gives us power and drives the charters to work with our homeschool parent sensibilities. If everyone in the state is forced to use a charter or not homeschool, our choices and power will be gone and I know we will be driven each year into a more 'public school textbook-school at home' model. This makes me cringe. The actual ruling, however, seemed to wipe out all options, including charters and district run independent learning programs, and even private schools- I cannot see that it would be left to stand like that. The ruling seemed to say that unless the child's tush was in a seat at a physical school, daily taught by a credentialed teacher, then it was illegal... it wipes out everything, I wonder if the judges realized what they had done. Our homeschooling and private schools work here because of our choices and a largely hands-off law...I am afraid of the legislature and Arnold doing anything to protect us, it could make us worse off, with hoops to jump thru that we do not have now. This whole thing has opened up a big mess. I try not to think about it, really. just my thoughts. thanks for asking.

raccoons have been known to kill chickens by grabbing them through the holes in the chicken wire and pulling them through it- just horrible to think about. They are very strong. Make sure the chickens are locked up at night, and that the cage is sturdy. They do like chicken. We used chicken wire with very small holes for this reason. I'm a softy for animals too, I probably would have let it go too!

I have a literature pockets book on Nursery rhymes...something like that might be fun.

Jessica, your albatross mention made me laugh, my MOTH chart became my albatross, hanging on my refrigerator! I came to hate looking at it, since it was glaring proof of my failure to follow a schedule. I finally took it down. I was actually helped by your nobility chart you posted on your blog...I think that was you...I made one similar for my kids to go along with the new homeschool routine chart I've made..it's simple, in word. so saying, MOTH did help me plan to have the olders help or play with the youngers for a time slot, very helpful. good luck with your schedule, Jessica!

I'm a MOTH drop-out... I've done better just making my own up with word, the little 15 minute boxes just made me nervous or something... I have decided I am my worst enemy, and that in reality, the person who doesn't want to do a schedule or have to be pinned down to commit to do anything at a certain time is..me. ugh. I'm starting my schedule-journey again, right there with you, Jessica

I think a nice note for the teachers and principal would be a good thing. we've always homeschooled, but I know our kids really love- usually on the first day "back" to school (for the new year) going somewhere in the middle of the day, "just because we can", like going to the beach or walking around a neat old town and having lunch, something like that. wishing you a great launch with your new adventure!

Lisa, I was at a 10 recently, and the mention of blood transfusion or at least iron shots motivated me, too. My Dr. has been running all kinds of test, and one very interesting thing and kind of important too, was that because of my anemia, my blood volume was very, very low. The big result from that was medications, specially cold medications affected me more, I have to be real careful now not to take a full dose. Ask alot of questions about your iron dose recommendation, I was told to take just one pill a day, but another Dr. advised 2 to 3... I am seeing that if i take less then 2 plus a prenatal, I am having exhaustion problems. I am feeling much better after a few months, I hope you feel better soon. I can't believe the level of tiredness I lived with daily. p.s. a stool softener every other day or so seems to help. stool softener good, laxative bad...just my experience!

I thought the hive could give me a quick answer, does anyone know? I am thinking it is probably Spain -spanish since galore park is British...

I am using TOG this year, and I used Sonlight for part of one year a few years ago...the big difference for me was the planning, TOG schedules for the week- you are then free to choose what you want to do and what days to do it on- which works better for my mind for some reason then the daily planning done for you in Sonlight. You can also train your older children to plan out their week, something TOG actually encourages. This year using it, I think the strength and really worthwhile part of TOG is the literary questions for the older students- really impressive. I also appreciate that I can use it for all 4 of my children, instead of trying to juggle 3 or 4 different cores. they have a free week you can print out and go thru over at the TOG website, have you printed it out and gone thru it? I would encourage you to do that to see what it looks and feels like. blessings,

I could have swore I saw this somewhere on a thread, but I cannot find it thru search...anyone, anyone?... wasn't there a small discussion about being able to buy Growing with Grammar elsewhere beside lulu?? maybe I was imagining it... help me... anyone? anyone? Bueller??

I am really a computer klutz, but...I 've heard that cleaning out your caches and de-fraging can help with loading problems. a thought.

past two weeks I've been late getting mine up, but here it is photo of dd jamming on violin with bible college students we host every Sunday night. link here Wordless Wednesday- Fellowship

Welcome! Now, tell us more about yourself! where kind of busy that way, I guess. My stuff in in my signature... I'm in So. Ca, homeschooling 4 and doing it a kind of classical/Cm sort of way. I find such great book/curriculum ideas over on these boards, and lots of extra advice too.

I go through my dashboard as well. fairy dust for me too?

that made me laugh too, clever tongue in cheek. thanks for sharing it, I probably wouldn't have found it anywhere, I'm not really into politics anymore...