11:24PM...Just ate my first meal of the day-turkey taco meat wrapped in lettuce-and got the kids into bed...Finally.
I have no idea how we are ever fitting lessons back into our lives....Since Ed's schedule change, the days are long and very, very full....
Getting used to the schedule thing was a little insane at first-the kids were staying up all hours, day after day, yet still getting up at 6:45AM. They rushed to see daddy who was HOME in the morning now...With only three hours of sleep behind him...! Fortunately, running their tails off all day, not allowing naps but for a few days a week, and having a strong dose of patience, paid off. They now sleep til 8-sometimes 8:30....Once til 9:45...! I don't get a single second to myself from 9am til 11:30pm, but hopefully they will all get tired of bugging me and go find something to do...!
Baseball ended tonight, T-Ball last Saturday....SOOO happy. No rest though, Ballet starts next Tuesday, intersects with Baton Camp and Dance Theater Camp, overlaps Soccer..Which runs straight through October...For FOUR children this year....Maybe...The five year old seems interested in gymnastics.....I joke that I don't have a calendar, but a spreadsheet...Then, I look into my canvas school bag and realize, I really do!
WOW...It's late...And I just sat down to look at email. Nothing good..I wish I had some money to shop online-Curriculum is calling me!
I have put some serious thought into my choice of Curriculum...Probably about three months worth of serious consideration, and many of general searching and comparing. Today, I went to the Homeschool Outlet at the Christian Bookstore in town. I had heard that they had a "used" shelf...It ended up being the larger portion of the store! I could not believe what I saw, stacks and stacks, pile and piles, of Saxon Manuals, Textbooks, science books, art programs, language tapes...It was pretty amazing. Now I am left with many more options...My budget can handle a bit more, so, do I want to get Saxon K for 20$???? I was thinking of doing workbooks, etc, til my five year old was ready for the Saxon One my seven year old skipped over...Now, I am reconsidering....I will have another child that can use it...hmmmm! Saxon three times a day....uggggh!
OK....I am alone in the peace and quiet, for the first time since my eyes opened....And I am thinking, of all things, TV...Another turkey taco maybe...My curriculum file is beckoning....(Do other people have files that yell at them???:) Do other MOMS have files that yell at them?????:))Mine do...;)
Thought I had something important to say, but I guess that was just the inspiration from getting the kids into bed!
Sami

Tuesday June 1st, 2004
My review is today....in three minutes actually....!
Just sitting here waiting...:)
Sami

Memorial Day Weekend, 2004. We have officially decided to end our formal school year, though we had planned to continue all Summer. Things are crazy around here with schedule changes, financial issues and a million and one activities and responsibilities...I was giving myself a fit, trying to decide whether or not to try to continue. Finally, I looked at it from a different viewpoint-instead of looking at what we didn't accomplish, I looked at what we did. I realized, as I summed our year up for online friends, that we did WAY more then planned in most subjects, making up for the few chapters of History and Math sitting on the shelf, undone. My children spent the entire year absorbed in one library book after another-and not much light reading either :)-and hardly any time at all in front off the TV. We broke off a friendship with a TV obsessed family this year, and I have appreciated our "American Idol free" Spring evenings. My children don't even ask to turn it on anymore, opting for crafts, emailing friends, using Paintshop and, reading, instead. No arguments from me!
My children meet new people this year, made many new friends, many people unlike any they have ever met. They met people with stories and experiences that many only read about, opened their minds and heart to new tastes, new sounds, new customs, new ideas. They welcomed new ideas for imagination, new thoughts from Ancient Thinkers, they learned new hobbies and skills, developed talents and found different ways to think and learn.
We grew as a family this year, as "friends" disappointed us and family proved unstable. We went through many changes, many trials, many lessons, as children, as parents, as people....I found time to read, found time to meditate and follow paths forgotten, found time to garden, found time to read to my children and dance with them next to our backyard Moon Garden, found time to welcome each season, time to make a new friend, time to connect with an old one.
Math is not complete, we have a few chapters left to do. My children are smarter, taller, braver and stronger then they were this time last year. Our family is stronger. My brain is wiser, my heart has only opened more, my mind led the way.....I think ending the year on that note is fine.....
It's 76 degree out, sunny and mild.....School is out!
Sami

Wow...it's been a month since I got my site up and running...a little bit longer, actually...and I had planned to have it completely updated by May 5th, but...well, that's not going to happen!
Lots is going on here at the homestead, mostly the fact that my husband has lost his job. We found out two Fridays back, that his company was not merging, as promised for months, but liquidating....we sort of found that out when we heard through the grapevine that the company's owner had landed a job elsewhere....not fun.
Fortunately, my dh was offered another position at his parttime job just days before this happened, so a quick phone call saved us...Unfortunately, we were so far behind on our bills due to the problems already existing in the make up of the company, we are in dire straights now. We are literally taking food from neighbors and family, and rolling pennies for gas money....It doesn't help that the company is witholding the last three weeks (and for some five) of paychecks....it doesn't help at all.
We will survive.
My biggest challenge at the moment is changing our entire schedules around. He will be working 2pm-12, four days a week....after years of working 6am to 4pm...it is a huge adjustment with lessons, sleep schedules, and meal planning....who wants to cook dinner at 11 am???? It will take some major adjusting, major planning, and lots of patience...everything needs to be changed!
This schedule will offer me some of my life back, however-giving me childfree-husband free hours each night betweem 9:30 and 12! Hopefully I will have the site updated in the next few days, and brimming with new info and insites, the articles are complete, I just need to get them onto the pages and onto the server...
Send me some positive energy, K???
Sami

Ok, the site is up...! You know what it's like when you have this huge project to do, and it takes all this time and thought...then, one day, it's DONE...and you just sit there and look at it....
That's where I am now...! I am working on next month's articles and etc, but I feel as though it's the day after Christmas, and I have run out of chores! LOL
Thanks to all that have visited my site-the numbers are climbing quickly and I have had many emails of congrats and admiration. Please feel free to let me know what YOU would like to see on the site-many HS sites are very much the same-if there is something you wish to see, simply email me!
My oldest children are asking about web design. I may begin teaching them basic HTML, or at the very least, teach them a simple drop and drag program. I may let them design our school site! It was my understanding that one of the best sites in the web for self taught HTML, is a site by an 11 year old girl...I need to find it! Web design is fun and fulfilling, creative and tech, so it's a good thing for alot of interest levels.
We are reaching Stonehenge in our Ancient History curriculum, and the children are very excited about it. They ADORED Egyption studies and they are anxious to get in celtic studies as well. Then we move into Rome, Ancient China.....wrapping up the year with the Byzantine Empire...which will leave us ready to begin our year of Middle Ages-very exciting! The kids are already searching and collecting books on knights, castles, etc...our Playmobile Knights set is getting played with HARD! :)
For Science, we are in the midst of our Weather Unit, and our Plants unit, while completing our Space unit. (We still need to do reports for two planets!)...we plan to build a weather station for the backyard (directions to do so will surely appear on the site soon!)...we are planning a Moon Garden-plants that flourish at night-and a veggie garden as well. And, we plan to investigate sundials, after seeing a really awesome one at Longwood Gardens in PA.
We won't be taking the Summer off...instead, we will continue with Saxon Math three days a week, Language/writing/reading each day...we will continue Science with our hands on projects and lot's of library books. We will probably do one history unit every few weeks, with lots of free reading as well. Art and Music will continue as we already do...phys ed will be more then fulfilled with baseball, t-ball, dance, musical theater, soccer and yoga.....(for FOUR!!)
Most of our Summer experience and learning will come from our wonderful co-op group, Circle of Friends. We have tons of fun ideas and plans including Culture days, crafts, Theme days, fieldtrips and more...Hopefully, it will be a NICE Summer, with weather cooperating!!!!!
Off to get into the day...I have been sitting here TOO long this morning!!!:)
Happy Holiday!
Sami

Wow...I thought I was well rested...then I pooped out at 11:30 last night, slept straight thropugh til 5 am, then again til 7....then again til almost 9....(of course, I used those awake times to take care of kids, laundry, blinds, heat, etc...like a zombie...) I could have slept all day-and that is NOT like me. I think I over did it the last couple of days...
No plans to work out today, I am taking a day off. I hope that I am not getting a cold...that's what I feel like....ugh....working out might make me feel better, but it might make me more exhausted as well....and it's getting late....web design is calling me....(my newest "old" obsession....!)
We have to get through lessons today, but I can note and build while they do certain subjects and projects....I am seeing HTML is my sleep...still don't get a bunch of it...all the fancy stuff for effects and stuff, but the basics are simple and I can read and edit it quite well. Mostly I use drop and drag on Cool Page (which is free and uploads to FTP servers!) I need to get my paintshop installed again for graphic though....
I need to go shower and get chores knocked out....this big fuzzy cloud over my head isn't going away by itself....
Happy Homeschooling!

After my crazy week of dental nightmares and scheduling disasters, I finally felt able to get back to life this weekend. I realized, however, on Monday, that my life simply does not allow for me to "sleep on the job" for a week, and return as though nothing ever happened...not even close. Basically, all the work that didn't get done last week, had to be done along with this weeks work...so, double time for me...!
My week "off" (he he! I have four, count'em, FOUR, children...!) left me time to ponder many thoughts and ideas that are otherwise pushed to the back of my overloaded brain. My entire website/s came to make logical sense in my head-I have four in various states of build/rebuild; I got quite a bit of organizing and clearing out of old schoolwork done when the pain killers we working and not making me ill; I came to terms with some really stupid issues I've had to deal with in recent years, came to terms with a new set of needed priorities. I got some rest, though it was hard and boring and frustrating for me.
We got back to normal this week, with the added work from last keeping us busy. The schedule is obvioulsy what the children need...structure, etc....they have calmed greatly. We even hosted a Chinese New Years for our co-op here today-which went great-I can't wait to see the pictures and get them posted on the site.
7am is early lately, and I need to get to bed....!

My timing with scheduling homeschool semesters is amazing. This is the fifth time in a row that I had a medical nightmare during our first week back to lessons. This time it was a major dental catastrophy...lasted all week-the result of some very much needed work-which got infected. Many trips to another county, insane amounts of pain killers, and general disruption ruled the week. Much of our work was completed...(I don't remember teaching it, is all:)) There was a point when I realized that I was teaching Math...like, I "woke up" there...confusing....I do NOT handle medication well. We all survived, but is was NOT the week of new beginnings that I had anticipated...

Oh, and I put this here for you, Dear Reader, as well as for a future reminder for myself...timing IS critical...scheduling lessons, classes, rec, sports, all needs to be done as a full picture-with four children, I use a spreadsheet at times!!! My schedule includes all the important things: appointments, so that I know NOT to schedule long classes that day, co-op group activities, so that lessons fit accordingly, we even schedule in the cycles of the Moon on our calendar!!! (fitting into science and ancient religions!:)) Unfortunately, after four years of "official" homeschooling, I realized another scheduling note: NEVER NEVER NEVER schedule a first day of a new semester on the same day you expect to experience serious PMS...I know that sounds girlie and weak-but...well...let's just say, Monday morning WAS NOT exactly a pleasent experience for anyone...;)

I am experiencing a forgotten time today...life with one child. ! I have little Jules here with me, the others went to see Cheaper By The Dozen with the grandparents from Delaware...I forgot what this was like...it's been a LONG time! Jules is a true sweetie-lives up to his name which means "light", always a smile, a gentle kiss, a sweet little sentence....he will be three in a few weeks...baby days about to be gone and forever forgotten in this house....WOW...

...we practiced counting M&Ms, and played cars, and watched Dora.....it's naptime though, for me as well, with all my stupid pain meds.....

Blessings,
Sami

We began our Winter semester of lessons today. We had finished up our Fall lessons back on December 15th, 2003, and shifted into what I call "unschooling mode". "Unschooling mode" is when we don't get out our workbooks or formal curriculum, but instead focus on fun, creative, and personal activities. We celebrated the First Day of Winter with a Yule/soltice celebration, decorated, baked, visited with friends for cookie making, candy making, ornament making...we got the tree, learned about Kwanza, Hannakah, Celebrated Christmas and New Years, did crafts, read books...had a great time.
I settled down a few days back, and started to pull together my notes and plans for our new semester. I spent evenings redoing schedules in order to formally "add" my almost five year old. I added, switched, revamped programs, lessons, projects, dates, group plans...I planned library days, book drop offs, unit break downs...added in all or our holidays (whew!), fieldtrips...yesterday, as the clock ticked down, I went over weekly schedules for the next six weeks, balanced lessons out, added personal projects and interests...broke down spelling and writing pages....I worked at it until 1am, and went to bed with a full days sheet of lessons, including finger painting, ready for me this morning.
My almost three year old woke me at 6:45am..."Sun is UP" he shouted as he ran into my dark, very cold bedroom. I got up, knowing what today held...headed downstairs for the usual...boot computer, throw in laundry, find matchbox cars, make cereal and juice...hand out chore charts, write schedule on white board, check email...oh yeah, open blinds...sun is OUT! As I make up my bed, a mantra begins in my head..."This is what I do...This is who I am..." I begin my workout at 8am, the same words lingering in my thoughts..."This is what I do..." As I showered, set up books for the day, cleaned up the kitchen..."This is who I am...this is what I do ...." It lasted until I sat down, books and pencils in hand, ready to teach science....and then, like jittery nerves on an opening night, the thought went away as I began....I just...became it.....it is who I am...it is what I do.....and then...I did it....and all was right.....!
I don't know why I felt that way...it wasn't a dreading sort of though, or a nervous thought...just a mantra...a positive affirmation. It worked...!
Our day was ok...at some point I will post our schedule of classes and you can see what me kids are up against....no one will ever say they are "bored" again...!
Make a mantra...keep it close...use it!

1-5-04
I awoke this morning with a strange feeling in my stomach. As I booted the computer and opened the blinds a small child appeared from behind. I turned to look at the child, sizing him up for the days activities...yes, you are the right size...yes, you can carry small loads of trash, yes, you can sort through bins and place toys, supplies, legos and trash into appropriate piles. YES, you CAN!
Immediately, the house was in a flurry of activity, as children ran to hide, ran to find lost reports that needed final copies done...ran to escape PURGE WEEK!!!
There IS, no escape. The week is here, lessons start next week, mommy is barely surviving in the after holiday clutter, and the time is NOW!
Today was an extra special day of purging for me: I emptied boxes that were still sitting packed, on storage shelves in the laundry room, from the house before this one. All trash...things I somehow thought were important enough to carry to our new home, and keep for almost 7 years! It has to go!
I strongly encourage ALL homeschooling moms to get organized. Have entire weeks scheduled during your year, to do nothing but. Try NOT to look at it as work, but as something renewing, find a way to relax, turn on some music, allow yourself the chance to "listen" to some incredibly bad daytime TV (you certainly won't miss it when you turn it off next week!!!) I love sitting in my piles of books, papers, notes, software, flashcards and art supplies, sorting, sipping green tea..(thanking my stars that I am not a guest on Maury Povich...) I love to get things ready for a new season, have things organized, where they can easily be found. I love going through the shelves, finding the Glow in the Dark book of stars-we forgot to use that...finding books my kids were not on level to read last time, and adding them to our curriculum. I love to look at the straight shelves, organized bins, stacks of paper, notebooks, preschool games and math manipulatives...and feel a sweep of accomplishment. It helps to start the year, the season, off right!

Tomorrow, the kitchen!!!!

My soul is now open....! I have notebooks full of notes, journals, text files, posts from groups I run...All about being a homeschooling mom of four...Which is it's own little corner of the universe, as many can imagine-and hopefully many can share! It's a constant challenge, a constant learning experience, and a constant reminder of how important I really am to my children. And how important they are to me.
I hope to take some time, in our very busy schedule, to place many of these thoughts here, for those interested, to share. I get my best ideas while rambling...Someday, I hope to get all of these thoughts, ideas, etc, into a bookform, but that is in the future...Right now, it's all about teaching my children, and learning to be the best mom-HOMESCHOOLING mom, that I can be.
I hope to provide some insight to my life: my ability to turn chaos into experience, my quest for the ultimate unit study, my ideas for turning "nothing" into a cool craft for all ages. I have made homeschooling/childrearing a study for myself in the last 9 years, and I hope I can pass on a glimmer of humor, a star of hope, to all those that follow!