Ignore this thread!

[Renai]

You could carve them out of bars of soap!  The kids' art class yesterday included carving things out of soap.  They also used nail polish on "sea" glass pieces to make mock dichroic glass.  Very pretty!

 

This used to be dd16's favorite past time when sitting in the bathroom. I'd wonder what was taking her so long, and later find carved pieces of soap on the bathroom sink. She did this from about ages 7-9.

[texasmama]

Just told one of the children, "Don't be so hard to parent." :leaving:

 

 

[Susan in TN]

Anything I wrap looks like I had a fight with the paper and the tape and they won.

:)

 

At the church Christmas party, dh and I won a gift wrapping contest in which we had to keep one hand behind our backs and work together to wrap a box. Most of the gifts looked like they were involved in wrestle mania but ours had nice sharp corners and a bow. Our prize was a daily pill organizer. (Better than the 3rd place prize of a portable urinal! The guy who provided the prizes is a pharmacist. :D )

[texasmama]

:)

 

At the church Christmas party, dh and I won a gift wrapping contest in which we had to keep one hand behind our backs and work together to wrap a box. Most of the gifts looked like they were involved in wrestle mania but ours had nice sharp corners and a bow. Our prize was a daily pill organizer. (Better than the 3rd place prize of a portable urinal! The guy who provided the prizes is a pharmacist. :D )

:lol: at the prizes!

[Renai]

Well, it looks like we're not going to blow up. That's a relief.

[texasmama]

Just this second I got the wild idea that I should plan next year's academics. :confused1:

 

 

Edited May 21, 2016 by texasmama

[texasmama]

Well, it looks like we're not going to blow up. That's a relief.

:hurray: Such a relief!

[Renai]

The cat is peeing and pooping everywhere!

 

ETA: And vomiting.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Renai

[Professormom]

We have way too much alike. We also had a naked 5-footer, upgraded this year to a tree with non-blinky white lights. Dh likes color and blinks. Dd16 put one strand of colored blinky lights on the tree, and now all is well. Dd16 and almost-5 put the ornaments on the tree today.

I am a fan of white lights, no blinking or other seizure inducing accoutrements. Classic and understated. I like all of our decos to be this way. As a matter of fact, the people that just moved in across the street put up one of those horrific, plasticy-looking blow up Santas, and it is giving me hives. Why oh why do people do this? It just reads tacky to me.

 

Eta: I just read this through and want to clarify that I do not have a problem with colored lights for others, etc. and if anyone here actually does the big blow up dolls, I am sorry. I still love you, but I cannot abide by those things. :leaving:

Edited December 13, 2015 by Professormom

[texasmama]

The cat is peeing and pooping everywhere!

 

ETA: And vomiting.

Sounds like she got into something.

[texasmama]

Why was I allowed to double post?

 

Edited December 13, 2015 by texasmama

[Critterfixer]

 

The cat is peeing and pooping everywhere!

 

ETA: And vomiting.

Sounds like something pretty purgative. What did she eat?

[texasmama]

_{The thought of teaching 10th grade English at co-op makes me feel tired and desperate.}

 

_:leaving: 

[Professormom]

Just this second I got the wild idea that I should plan next year's academics. :confused1:

 

Ds15

math - Jann in TX Algebra 2

science - chemistry - probably at co-op depending on the teacher - need to ask co-op director, who will not know yet :lol:

English - :confused1: Do I want to teach another co-op class next year? Do other parents want me to teach another co-op class next year? I know I saw something like EIL or IEW or somesuch. I forget what it was or who made it, but I liked it. I hope I marked it or can find it, but it was a co-op class. Wonder if it can be done well at home. Will I do it well at home? :huh: So many questions, so few answers.

PE - basketball unless I decide to count bball as an extracurricular, but does it even matter? Who even cares? We are not trying to get a full scholarship to MIT, yo.

History - SWB's History of the Medieval World and Study Guide? (probably)

Spanish - probably skip a year so dude needs another course of some sort.

 

Ds12 - (currently hard to parent)

math - It all hinges on how the AoPS online Algebra class goes this spring. I am feeling dicey-ish about the whole thing. He apparently said a vow to AoPS and is not open to changing, but Geometry has no videos :huh: and I cannot help. My secret wish is that I can pry him into an online Geometry class. Then I would feel like this - :hurray:, But not AoPS online geometry class- too fast. (I wish he would take Jann's class, but I think he will rebel and become even harder to parent.)

science - same as ds15

Spanish - Landry online Spanish 2 if current teacher teaches it. Unknown path if current teacher does not teach it because he hearts just her.

English - same as ds15 (Lions and tigers and bears - oh my!)

Basketball - same as ds15

History - same as ds15

 

Little dd -

Writing Tales 2

Rod and Staff Spelling 5

FLL4

CLE math 4

science - co-op, probably - otherwise we will go through the Apologia A&P book at home - I think it's my fave of the elementary books.

history, literature and poetry - Whatever is next in the SL rotation. I honestly don't recall. :confused1: I will tweak the heck out of it until it is unrecognizable as a SL Core.

What am I missing? AHG troop and Upward basketball.

Little dd has stopped making noise about going to school part-time, but I will likely look for an art class for her at a different, new to us co-op - and maybe a choir or drama or some other sort of artsy or fine artsy thing since that's how she rolls, both for the artsy stuff and the social co-op stuff.

 

Off to remind myself of some of this stuff because it will stick in my craw until I figure it out.

Re: geometry, we are in the same place. He is doing AoPS Algebra with WTM Academy. It has been great. I do supplement with Foerster's because he needs more practice. He is bright but no savant, lol. I too am mulling next year. I have jurgensens and aops. But I really want a class. WTM isn't committing to anything yet, so I am nervous. If they offer geo, it will be a no brainer. If not, I am up a creek because we cannot do the pace of those AOPS online courses. I could do Wilson Hill. They use Jurgensen's. But he really wants aops. It is a conundrum. If you figure it out, let me know :D Edited December 13, 2015 by Professormom

[texasmama]

I am a fan of white lights, no blinking or other seizure inducing accoutrements. Classic and understated. I like all of our decos to be this way. As a matter of fact, the people that just moved in across the street put up one of those horrific, plasticy-looking blow up Santas, and it is giving me hives. Why or why do people do this? It just reads tacky to me.

 

Eta: I just read this through and want to clarify that I do not have a problem with colored lights for others, etc. and if anyone here actually does the big blow up dolls, I am sorry. I still love you, but I cannot abide by those things. :leaving:

#shesaidblowupdolls

 

:leaving:

[Professormom]

#shesaidblowupdolls

 

:leaving:

There is probably a better term, but I don't know what it is :lol:

[texasmama]

Re: geometry, we are in the same place. He is doing AoPS Algebra with WTM Academy. It has been great. I do supplement with Foerster's because he needs more practice. He is bright but no savant, lol. I too am mulling next year. I have jurgensens and aops. But I really want a class. WTM isn't committing to anything yet, so I am nervous. If they offer geo, it will be a no brainer. If not, I am up a creek because we cannot do the pace of those AOPS online courses. I could do Wilson Hill. They use Jurgensen's. But he really wants aops. It is a conundrum. If you figure it out, let me know :D

Now, Imma go look at TWTM Academy AoPS class. :leaving:

 

Is it bad that I want to outsource everything for everyone and get a job at a pork and beans factory putting the single piece of mostly fat pork on the top of the can before it is sealed? :huh:

[texasmama]

There is probably a better term, but I don't know what it is :lol:

Inflatable Christmas yard items? :lol:  :hat:

[Renai]

Sounds like she got into something.

 

I think she's just old. I suspected she paid in our room two weeks ago, but never found evidence. She's vomited a couple of times over the past couple of weeks under dd16's bed. Today, it seems every time she walks in my room, she squats to pee.

 

I just had a thought: dh bought a litter a couple of weeks ago and I noticed it has a strong aroma to it. I wonder if she's avoiding the box because of that. Hmm... I'm trying to contact dh to make sure he buys a litter with no smell (fragrance).

[Professormom]

I know. I am giving myself a 2-3 class limit for outsourcing, but jeez it's hard. Especially once you throw foreign language in there, cuz there is NO WAY I am teaching that stuff.

[texasmama]

Re: geometry, we are in the same place. He is doing AoPS Algebra with WTM Academy. It has been great. I do supplement with Foerster's because he needs more practice. He is bright but no savant, lol. I too am mulling next year. I have jurgensens and aops. But I really want a class. WTM isn't committing to anything yet, so I am nervous. If they offer geo, it will be a no brainer. If not, I am up a creek because we cannot do the pace of those AOPS online courses. I could do Wilson Hill. They use Jurgensen's. But he really wants aops. It is a conundrum. If you figure it out, let me know :D

Okay, all I could find was Saxon Algebra.  Maybe because we are mid-year?  I dunno,

[texasmama]

I think she's just old. I suspected she paid in our room two weeks ago, but never found evidence. She's vomited a couple of times over the past couple of weeks under dd16's bed. Today, it seems every time she walks in my room, she squats to pee.

 

I just had a thought: dh bought a litter a couple of weeks ago and I noticed it has a strong aroma to it. I wonder if she's avoiding the box because of that. Hmm... I'm trying to contact dh to make sure he buys a litter with no smell (fragrance).

Yep.  My cat pooped on the bed when I changed the litter.  I do not change now.  I use only unscented.

 

What food does she eat?  Did you get a new plant?  How old is she?  Did she try to eat the Christmas tree?

 

I like to play detective even though I have no qualifications.  I suspect Critterfixer can help you more than I can,, but that will not stop me from trying. :lol:

[Renai]

I'm pondering the rest of dd16's year. She said she can work through the summer because it's not like she has anything else to do.  :lol:

[Professormom]

Inflatable Christmas yard items? :lol: :hat:

Blow up doll is funnier... Yet also more apt to bring in the spammers.

[texasmama]

I know. I am giving myself a 2-3 class limit for outsourcing, but jeez it's hard. Especially once you throw foreign language in there, cuz there is NO WAY I am teaching that stuff.

I don't like this limit. :lol:

 

 

Edited May 21, 2016 by texasmama

[Professormom]

Okay, all I could find was Saxon Algebra. Maybe because we are mid-year? I dunno,

I think it isn't there because it is mid-year. I wish online academies wouldn't do that. They only show the classes you can currently sign up for. It would behoove them :-) to list all of their offerings with a little asterisk on the ones that are tentative or currently not open for registration. It makes planning muy dificil. They are basically doing the Intro to Algebra book chapters 1-10. Heather Quintero teaches it, and I think she does a great job. I have even watched some of the lectures so I can understand when the boy has ??s.

[texasmama]

I think I was thinking of one of these courses for English:

 

http://iew.com/shop/products/excellence-literature-american-literature

 

http://iew.com/shop/products/excellence-literature-british-literature

 

I don't remember... :confused1:

[Critterfixer]

 

I think she's just old. I suspected she paid in our room two weeks ago, but never found evidence. She's vomited a couple of times over the past couple of weeks under dd16's bed. Today, it seems every time she walks in my room, she squats to pee.

 

Get it checked out-cat and pee. If she'll let you catch urine, so much the better. But older cats don't generally throw up in response to a litter box change, and when you've got vomiting and urinating everywhere in an older cat, the first thing I'm checking for is a kidney infection.

[Renai]

Get it checked out-cat and pee. If she'll let you catch urine, so much the better. But older cats don't generally throw up in response to a litter box change, and when you've got vomiting and urinating everywhere in an older cat, the first thing I'm checking for is a kidney infection.

 

Well, dagnabbit. She had peed on a piece of paper in my room about 30 minutes ago, and I very carefully picked it up and tossed it. We'll have to get it checked out, then. She's 13.5 years old (bday ~May 1, 2002).

[Professormom]

I don't like this limit. :lol:

 

I think I have hit a wall. :huh: Also, both of my boys seem to respond well to online and co-op classes. I've been disappointed with co-op Biology teaching this year, but they have gotten a good foundation for many years with co-op classes, and that teacher is not teaching Chemistry. Ds15 will be eligible for dual credit online at the CC in spring, 2017. :hat:

I am doing bio with him this year, but we are doing a lab with a group. It has been hard because I like the idea of group lab, but the instructor loves Ken Ham, who I pretty much despise, so I have to go back over all of the editorial comments. And do some re-teaching. I knew going in that the instructor was more YEC, but I thought that I would basically skip the lab that goes with the teaching on evolutionary theory and we would be ok. And we are respectful of others. The gentleman (who is very nice by the way) weaves it into most of the classes. But we are going to stick it out til the end of the year. (Edited to delete comments that, in the spirit of ITT, are better left unsaid.)

 

So, all in all, we have had mixed success with coop type formats, but I do enjoy online courses. And sometimes, I want them to learn from someone who has a passion for the subject, especially in the STEM-ish stuff.

 

Now, I will duck and the tomatoes can fly.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Professormom

[Professormom]

I think I was thinking of one of these courses for English:

 

http://iew.com/shop/products/excellence-literature-american-literature

 

http://iew.com/shop/products/excellence-literature-british-literature

 

I don't remember... :confused1:

Those look good. I want to squeeze in Windows to the World with Teaching the Classics and some Lost Tools of Writing somewhere. I want them to base their lit and writing on looking for the beautiful, good, and true. I need a little more lofty and noble in our homeschool:-)

[Renai]

Now, I will duck and the tomatoes can fly.

 

This is not the chat board. Tomatoes do not fly here. That is why everyone on the spectrum from conservative Christian to atheist coexist peacefully here and respect one another's opinions. This is our happy place. :D

[Renai]

Those look good. I want to squeeze in Windows to the World with Teaching the Classics and some Lost Tools of Writing somewhere. I want them to base their lit and writing on looking for the beautiful, good, and true. I need a little more lofty and noble in our homeschool:-)

 

I need to look at WtW and TC. I keep reading about them, but not as of yet, have even researched them. The shock! I know.

[Professormom]

This is not the chat board. Tomatoes do not fly here. That is why everyone on the spectrum from conservative Christian to atheist coexist peacefully here and respect one another's opinions. This is our happy place. :D

I love you. Still, I went back and deleted. I do not care to contaminate the happy place today:-)

[Professormom]

I need to look at WtW and TC. I keep reading about them, but not as of yet, have even researched them. The shock! I know.

There is a syllabus online by Jill Pike that puts them together. I have it, but haven't yet read through it. I will let you know how it looks.

 

Research is what gets me through the day :D

Edited December 13, 2015 by Professormom

[Professormom]

I hate squirrels.

[Susan in TN]

I hate squirrels.

The haters gonna hate.

 

:D

[Professormom]

The haters gonna hate.

 

:D

Lol. I think that is what they are out there saying right now. One keeps coming up to the patio window and looking in ominously. They are way too twitchy for me:-)

[Critterfixer]

If the squirrels got in my attic, I would hate them. Currently, they steal from the bird feeders and annoy DH. I am endlessly entertained by his tirades against squirrels, which are sometimes accompanied by actions like running from the room in various states of undress to yell at the squirrels. I think the squirrels are just as amused as I am.

[texasmama]

I am doing bio with him this year, but we are doing a lab with a group. It has been hard because I like the idea of group lab, but the instructor loves Ken Ham, who I pretty much despise, so I have to go back over all of the editorial comments. And do some re-teaching. I knew going in that the instructor was more YEC, but I thought that I would basically skip the lab that goes with the teaching on evolutionary theory and we would be ok. And we are respectful of others. The gentleman (who is very nice by the way) weaves it into most of the classes. But we are going to stick it out til the end of the year. (Edited to delete comments that, in the spirit of ITT, are better left unsaid.)

 

So, all in all, we have had mixed success with coop type formats, but I do enjoy online courses. And sometimes, I want them to learn from someone who has a passion for the subject, especially in the STEM-ish stuff.

 

Now, I will duck and the tomatoes can fly.

No tomatoes here.  What online course is this?  My co-op has taken a vow to Apologia, and I do reteaching, as well.  It is the compromise I make for not teaching it all myself.  And I am with you on the STEM stuff, particularly as they get older.  Yours truly can do language arts all day long at any level, but do not look to me for a qualify math education past pre-Algebra.

[texasmama]

Those look good. I want to squeeze in Windows to the World with Teaching the Classics and some Lost Tools of Writing somewhere. I want them to base their lit and writing on looking for the beautiful, good, and true. I need a little more lofty and noble in our homeschool:-)

 

 

I need to look at WtW and TC. I keep reading about them, but not as of yet, have even researched them. The shock! I know.

 

 

There is a syllabus online by Jill Pike that puts them together. I have it, but haven't yet read through it. I will let you know how it looks.

 

Research is what gets me through the day :D

Dear ITT friends,

 

This is the course I am teaching at co-op this year (WttW/TtC combined with the Jill Pike syllabus) so ask away.   I am intimately familiar with it.

[Renai]

I feel like I'm starting over with dd16 in the middle of the year. Sigh.

[texasmama]

I feel like I'm starting over with dd16 in the middle of the year. Sigh.

I suspect there is good reason you feel this way.  (((hugs)))

[Renai]

Double post.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Renai

[Professormom]

No tomatoes here. What online course is this? My co-op has taken a vow to Apologia, and I do reteaching, as well. It is the compromise I make for not teaching it all myself. And I am with you on the STEM stuff, particularly as they get older. Yours truly can do language arts all day long at any level, but do not look to me for a qualify math education past pre-Algebra.

The lab is local, through a friend. I struggled with it, but it is REALLY hard to find non-Apologia for homeschoolers, so we just do their lab with the Miller Levine text. The lab is only once every two weeks anyway. That was my compromise too for having someone else handle lab setup etc:-) Kolbe does a nice job, but I am not sure they do online classes? I know they have syllabi etc.

 

I do online for writing, aops algebra, and -this semester- study skills (WTMA). For next year, I think we are going to try Potters school for German and LoTW with either Circe or the woman on these boards who does a year long tutorial class in it. Geo too. I keep Lit Analysis, History and Physics. And I will do an AP Human Geography which I am currently writing a syllabus for. The background reading has been super interesting.

[Professormom]

I feel like I'm starting over with dd16 in the middle of the year. Sigh.

That is tough. It does sound like the attitude is good though, right? Or did I misread pp's?

[Professormom]

Dear ITT friends,

 

This is the course I am teaching at co-op this year (WttW/TtC combined with the Jill Pike syllabus) so ask away. I am intimately familiar with it.

That is awesome to know! I probably will have questions. I am actually thinking of doing this next semester. We use Tapestry and they have pretty decent lit stuff for rhetoric level, but I need more or a big picture run through first to lay a base. Wttw and TTC seem like they would do that. Could this be done in a semester?

[Renai]

 

That is tough. It does sound like the attitude is good though, right? Or did I misread pp's?

 

She's a teenage girl. For her, that is not equivalent to a good attitude. She also likes to do the bare minimum and will attempt to get as little done as possible if I"m not constantly on top of her. Which I was not before I graduated. I'm just coming back up for air and getting on the ball. I told her she's in danger of not passing.

 

Oh dear, terrible Booya post.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Renai

[Renai]

And to make my life more difficult, same dd has decided to be vegetarian all of a sudden. She'll do dairy, but no eggs, chicken, or fish. The dd that, the other day, stated she needed to gain more weight. But skips meals. This will not go well. I have half a mind to make her do it herself (planning the foods she wants to eat and I purchase), although I certainly don't mind veggie meals, but I don't need her passing out from hunger. So, I imagine I'll be the one doing most of the planning. She's just not responsible enough for this.

[Professormom]

((Hugs)) for Renai. Sounds like you are stuck between a rock and an eggplant. Sorry:-(