Upward Journey
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Posts posted by Upward Journey
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I have 2 FB accounts. One for my homeschool group. It is a friendless account. The other has only friends that live outside of my area. On that account, I ruthlessly unfollow people and I make very sure that my friends are people I actually care about keeping in touch with. Recently, one of my FB friends posted an incredibly rude post connected to vaccinations. I realized that she wasn't someone that I was ever close enough to to want to wade through that crap, so I unfriended her. Problem solved. I also deactivate that account for long swaths of time.
At some point I realized that FB needed to work for me rather than against. Making it solely a long distance account went a long, long way towards bringing that balance.
I use FB as a long distance thing, too. I only have four local contacts.
And I freely hide people who annoy me.
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We drink coffee in the morning, some of us drink it black and some use cream or milk. Sometimes my boys (10,13) will add honey, that sounds incredibly nasty to me, but I stopped keeping sugar out years ago, so they're making due with what's available.
The kids are just as likely to have tea, hot cocoa, or a mocha, though my teens usually stick to coffee.
The rest of the day we drink water, and then in the late afternoons/evening tend to have tea.
When they were all little we'd go through 8 gallons of milk/week :o but as the price kept climbing we cut back and stopped using it as the beverage of choice. Now we maybe use 1-2 gallons and that depends on if we have cereal in the house.
OJ is a treat that I buy when there is sickness in the house, and I keep cranberry juice to mix with my vodka :D we may or may not also keep some whiskey....
I don't really care if my kids have soda, I just don't actively facilitate getting it ;) So it ends up being something that they have once or twice a month if they're lucky.
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I don't like juice or soda, so I just don't ever think to buy it. I'm sure if I did, my kids would happily drink it every day ;)
My kids are stuck with water and the occasional glass of milk. We also drink tea, coffee & cocoa.
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This book is OOP, Land of Milk and Omelets by Ken Kraft, but maybe your library will have it. It's about packing up and moving to the country: well written and very humorous. :) I think it's my most favorite back-to-the-land book.
The following are in a different vein, but also delightful and visually lovely (and in print ;) )
The River Cottage Family Cookbook http://www.amazon.com/River-Cottage-Family-Cookbook/dp/1580089259/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426265058&sr=1-1&keywords=river+cottage+family+cookbook
Homemade by Yvette Van Boven http://www.amazon.com/Home-Made-Yvette-van-Boven/dp/1584799463/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426265100&sr=1-1&keywords=homemade
The Weekend Homesteader by Anna Hess http://www.amazon.com/Weekend-Homesteader-Twelve-Month-Guide-Self-Sufficiency/dp/1616088826/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426265126&sr=1-1&keywords=weekend+homesteader
Simply in the Season. I love the Children's version http://www.amazon.com/Simply-Season-Childrens-Cookbook-Community/dp/0836193369/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426265147&sr=1-3&keywords=simply+in+season
Fairy Houses ... Everywhere! http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Houses-Everywhere/dp/097081044X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426265189&sr=1-1&keywords=fairy+houses+everywhere
I've also found some wonderful, wonderful titles through this bookstore. http://www.waldorfbooks.com/ Do be sure to check out their "Working with Nature" section! Keep clicking 'til you get to the book descriptions.
And finally two Christian books (don't know if these appeal to you or not) but when I'm in a bad place they are my absolute, go-to favorites. They help me to get outside of the yuck and focus on other things.
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp
Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss
I hope you feel better soon :grouphug:
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I did this exact thing last week with a GF chocolate cake. Fortunately I had semi-sweet chips to make the icing! It would have been incredibly bitter otherwise.
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We're going to be using Moving Beyond the Page, age 11-13 next year for Earth/Physical science. http://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/purchase/science.aspx
Another secular option is Oak Meadow. They do Earth Science in 7th, and Physical Science in 8th. http://www.oakmeadowbookstore.com/Curriculum-c135/
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Congratulations!!!! :)
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In our bedroom over the closet door and over the shower curtain rail. It's not pretty,but it does the trick.
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Yes, I know what they are. I wasn't one, but I had friends that were. Do they still exist?
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I sing in a choir.
I'm a nerd so I attend a bi-weekly board gaming night at a local coffee house. Always learning something new or thinking through strategy. Love the mix of new and classic games as well as the variety of people. I also have gotten into costuming and have been working with other people on that learning new skills and coordinating some local events.
My mother-in-law is 66 and she works, has a group she hikes with, is on the board of a local art museum, has dinner parties, and does pilates. This is all in a small town that she moved to less than 2 years ago where she didn't know anyone.
That sounds like so much fun!!
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My mother had it. dh had it when we got married. unless the formula has significantly changed - they generally don't chip/break. (okay, I had one break into two pieces when I put pancakes on the plate while it was sitting on the table. it was weird.) however, as they age, it becomes brittle and they *shatter* into a gazillion (okay, thousand+) shards.
I remember the commercials from the 70's when it first came out, showing them dropping the plates and nothing happening. then they dropped the commercials - and the guarantee against breakage.
Boy howdy, do they ever!!!!!
eta, that when they shattered they were hitting saltillo floors. Maybe that makes a difference.
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We've moved twice in the last 5 1/2 years. The first time it was across the country (US) and the second time it was to a different country. This was after living in one spot for over a decade. In both cases I found that it took about 2 years before the kids and I really started to feel like it was home.
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What it demonstrates is how to breakdown percentages........... The middle class is NOT 80% of the people, no matter when you do it.
Too, true :)
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If you go further down the page, on the link with the class charts, you will see a chart that shows the breakdown of household income distribution. It is interesting, in light of the discussion in this thread. Hoping it copies in a readable manner for those who are interested. If not, follow the link, and go about half way down the page.
Household income distribution Bottom 10% Bottom 20% Bottom 25% Middle 33% Middle 20% Top 25% Top 20% Top 5% Top 1.5% Top 1% $0 to $10,500 $0 to $18,500 $0 to $22,500 $30,000 to $62,500 $35,000 to $55,000 $77,500 and up $92,000 and up $167,000 and up $250,000 and up $350,000 and up Source: US Census Bureau, 2006; income statistics for the year 2005Are these even relevant any more? This is prior to the housing crash.
eta. They are interesting. I just think that they're probably not very accurate.
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So...curious...does anyone here not have disposable income at all, after all actual needs ( shelter, health, food, utilities, transport, education ) are met ?
It seems there's an assumption that the only difference between being working class and middle class is what the working class choses to spend its extra money on.
That those with 'middle class attititudes' will spend it on education and travel and other worthy things, and those with 'working class attitudes' spend it on toys, cigarettes and beer.
Reassure me that people understand some working class families, particularly those in high COL areas who are also asset poor, don't have 'extra money'. There is nothing there to save or fritter...
Well I know I wasn't thinking about what extra money is spent on at all. I was thinking more about what we talk about with our kids around the table, how we try to steer them through life, that kind of stuff. I'm pretty sure that everyone, in every class, spends more than they should, on things that they shouldn't, once in a while :)
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I don't even know what that means. Really I don't. It *sounds* rather derogatory.
I have learned a lot the hard way. Maybe it is outside the norm to learn? Or outside the norm to be able to implement what was learned? Or to think in terms of consequences or?
Seriously not being snarky. Have no clue what that meant.
Every person I've ever met has thought about how to improve. Their life, their finances, their relationships. Now I will freely admit I've heard and seen some crack pot crazy crap thought up. Yep to the inth degree on that. They often don't know who to ask or have someone to help. And I'll admit, I've often struggled with both ends of that as well. But most of what is being discussed in this thread is not new ground shattering discoveries outside the norm discoveries?
ugh...
Then again....
Ugh.
That is not what I meant when I wrote the post that was being quoted. Of course people in the lower/working class want to improve their lot just as much as the next guy.
Maybe it was presumptuous to assume that most everyone here on the boards, even if they're struggling financially, thinks more like the middle class/upper class. Idk. We're all very focused on education, that's why we're here! Lots of us are struggling financially to make ends meet right now. But despite that, we're focused on educating our kids. That's not what I see/hear when I'm out and about, except when I'm down by the university or with other educated folks. My experiences could be unique to me, I freely admit that.
When I sit and listen to the lower/working class around me, I do not have a lot in common with them besides our financial struggles.
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This chart is around what I was thinking - so middle class would cover all the way from $50,000 to $600,000 (US). That's a huge spread! I'm assuming the $50,000 to $135,000 would cover low cost -of-living areas and the $100,000 to $600,000 would cover high cost-of-living areas? I mean you would have to account for that somehow, right?
According to this chart we've been in upper lower class to sometimes barely lower middle class but we've always considered ourselves middle class because of our general education and values. Now don't get up in arms - I'm not saying that people with less money have lower values but priorities do naturally shift according to how much money you have and education opens doors and eases the way even if you don't always get the higher paying jobs. And we would be more firmly in the middle class bracket if I didn't homeschool and stay home and worked full-time (though I have medical issues that would interfere even if I didn't homeschool).
And I think this skews the conversation somewhat on this board. Almost everyone here has made the conscience decision to forgo that second income in order to homeschool. Most of us are likely quite educated. So even though a lot us may be living lower class or working class lifestyles, we don't "think" like lower or working class folks.
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The Memoria Press Special Needs program looks absolutely lovely for a very bright young child.
I was going to suggest these http://www.milestonebooks.com/item/1-10020/?list=Rod_and_Staff_Preschool, and then I saw that some of them are incorporated into the Memoria Press program.
They were much loved by my bright 3yo many years ago. She also enjoyed the younger workbooks (p3-4) when she was 2 http://www.milestonebooks.com/list/Study_Time_Preschool/
As a reference this is a child that loved and thrived on SL Core 3 (I think maybe it's currently called Core D?) her kindergarten year i.e. at age 5.
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That's interesting. I can see that. I interpreted it as the states that are most sexually repressed are the most frustrated, and therefore most eager to experience the forbidden fruit.
That's how I read it too, Albeto.
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FilthyStinkingRich
That counts as one word if I remove the spaces, right?
:smilielol5:
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Yes. Every bit of it is. That is probably an indicator you have equal or better income. When you live that way, it isn't elite. It's your normal and likely taken for granted expectation of life. The elite don't sweat those things. Oh they might grumble about it sometimes, but really they aren't losing sleep over it. This is not a character statement against you or anyone else. I don't think having elite class income makes people ogres. But money insulates. It insulates a LOT. It makes it easy to not know how those not in that demographic have to live. Pointing out the difference isn't about character assassination or making people feel bad for having more money. It's just... Idk. It just is and very often there isn't as much to do to change it as the media advertises. It's frustrating.
Martha, I think that you've stated this so very well.
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:iagree:
We live in the DC metro area and are no where near the 150k income. Almost all of our friends, and everyone I meet homeschooling, is around that number. But that is a small bubble of the people here. When I worked with lower income families, it was clear that 30-50k is very very common, even in my extremely high COL area.
IMO, being able to absorb financial difficulties, engage in guilt free shopping, and plan vacations, all while having little debt and saving for retirement/college is upper class. I don't think people should feel bad about having that, it's a wonderful thing to have! But I do think it's important to realize that that is VERY privileged compared to most people right now, it is not the norm. It can be hard to see though. I have family members who make upwards of 300k right now, but they still think they are middle class, and they live in a low COL area.
This. So very much, THIS!!!!
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Swimming and then showering/bathing the next day will get it off. I know this because I wrote my lock combo on my arm last month :) and I had to reapply each time I went.
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Foyle's War
Midsomer Murders
Agents of Shield
Doc Martin
Psych
Monk
Oak Meadow? Thoughts?
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
OM 3 is not written to the child. I found myself struggling to get it done last year because the set up was so different from a standard curricula.
I really like the middle school years of OM. Just know that they're not set up by "day". So you don't get a here's Monday's schedule, here's Tuesday etc. Until you get into a rhythm it can be difficult to get everything done each week. Also, your daughter will need regular access to the library. It would be good to look through the assignments 2-3 weeks ahead of time, because you'll be getting a lot of books out!
Have you considered Moving Beyond the Page? www.movingbeyondthepage.com Once you get to the age 9-11 level, it's written to the child, and it's by day. It includes every subject except math, so you can use whatever math program you want.