Katie Bug :0)

It's looking like God is steering us towards keeping Katie Bug at home for high school.  (Woo hoo!!!)   Several things have lead me to this conclusion.  He has lead us to a tutor (or two ;0)  to help us continue and pursue her writing interests.  We've also been happy with our home-schooler's school, Veritas Classical School, which can take us all the way through 12th grade.  In addition to that a few new friends/mentors have been revealed to come along side with her interests in horses and nature adventures.  These answers have all come with prayer and they've come one after another--- in His order and His perfect timing.

When I take a step back and look at how He's blessed our family with these homeschooling years there's no question that we've been walking in obedience.  My philosophy of education has not changed at all, so why would we change a thing---  And my faith???  It has changed a lot.  It has grown much, much stronger..... :0)

Scouting as a Family

Wow.... tonight was our family's last official cub scout family camp out.  I didn't realize it until it we were all eating dinner tonight at the pack meeting.  Since Hayes is a Weebelos 2 this year that means that he will "bridge over" to BOY Scouts in the spring.  When they're in Boy Scouts it's no longer a family event with camping, etc.  The boys do everything themselves .  I hate I didn't realize it.  Katie and I went to the pack meeting tonight, ate dinner with everybody, watched a movie outside with them.... then, she and I came home.  It's a pretty muggy night--  no breeze--  mosquitoes EVERYWHERE--  It would not have been the "perfect" weather for it..... but, it was our last one-- our last opportunity.  So, I'm sad that this stage of our scouting adventure is over, but I'm happy that Hayes and Tony love Scouts.  Since Tony is still his den leader again this year we'll still get to participate in lots of things.  Just sort of a sad thing.... and I didn't see it coming.  Our Scouting as a family days are coming to an end.... :0(

thought of the moment....

I think there should be a scripture somewhere that says, "Children, do not exasperate your parents."  ;0)  Of course this day of tension all goes back to MY fault---  letting the kids stay up too late last night, which meant sleeping later than planned, and then finally--- the "doom" of the day--- getting school started too late in the morning.  If I would just get them to bed at a reasonable time, then I'd get to bed at a reasonable time.  If I got them up at a "good" time, then their school would get started and done at a "good" time.  If their school was done by a "good" time, then our afternoon would be much more pleasant......  and the children then wouldn't put me at my wit's end at all..... Conclusion --- It's not all their fault that I'm ready to pull my hair out.... The more I procrastinate the more THEY procrastinate. 
Lesson for today--- Note to self---  Get the kids to bed by 9:30!!!  ;0) 

Vacation for a Super Hero

Our trip to Six Flags was fantastic. One of the first things we noticed was all the references to super heroes. Well, of course we wanted to be heroes, too! So, we did what any reasonable person would do-- we played the squirt-the-water-onto-the-target game to win our capes! lol.... :0) Tony chose a Superman cape, I chose a PINK super cape, Katie chose a black Batman cape, and Hayes chose a Batman cape in purple (his favorite color). ;0) From the moment our capes were on our backs we were heroes. We had a ball with them. We even got to fly with our capes on (on the swings)!!!! ;0) I wish we had pictures of that one..... lol. I'm sure that was quite a sight to see.... an entire family of "heroes" flying through the air on the swings....

Hayes sobbed for nearly every roller coaster that first day..... DREADING how "terrible" it was going to be. Within a few seconds of EVERY ride... EVERY time.... he was giggling and laughing all the way. Why it took him almost an entire day of this-- I don't know. But, by the time our Six Flags adventures were over he had ridden nearly every single roller coaster in the entire park-- including riding them sometimes over and over-- AND on the front row! The only one we didn't LET him ride was the Tony Hawk ride. He begged us to let him ride this thing! It went up and down like a regular coaster, but it also spun around the entire time with no way to lock it into place. Ummmmmm..... I don't think so....

We enjoyed a Jeremy Camp concert, enjoyed the pleasant temperatures, low crowds, and gentle rains. The rains kept the lines down to very short or to no line at all. The hotel was right across the street from the park, so we just took a shuttle back and forth as we needed. It's a definite do-over vacation for us...... We had a ball!!!

Oh, and if you see me with my pink cape on.... just smile and wave at me. It means I'm in my happy place and that you should refer to me as Polkadot Pink.....(my name in Virtual Magic Kingdom-- my all-time favorite online game....lol). I always wanted to be the real "Super Pink".... if just for a day. So, I just might be seen wearing it around from time to time..... :0)

I'd like to be skinny for just a little bit of my life--- this side of Heaven :0)

The kids and I have discovered a great way to exercise together. We live not too far from a park that has a walking trail around it. There's no side of it hidden from the other--- it's very open with trees lining the edges--- a very nice park. :0) To keep our "P.E. class" time a little more interesting Hayes rides my bike TO the park while Katie and I ride in the car behind him. When Katie and I arrive we check our watches and begin our laps alternating between a fast-paced walk and a jog. After Hayes has ridden the trail on the bike for 3 or 4 laps he gets off and gives Katie a turn. Our goal is to do at least 20 minutes each time-- of course working up to more time each "class". ;0) When our work-out is complete it's Katie's turn to ride the bike home and Hayes and I ride home in the car. It's a routine that is working really great for us!!!

I've finally gotten the kids to understand that since I am their mother for goodness sakes... that they should both be able to run circles around me. So, we've agreed that their goal for each of them to out-walk me and out-jog me.... :0) Over-all health is our MAIN goal here... BUT... I really would like to be skinny for just a little bit of my life--- this side of Heaven..... :0)

Vacation coming up-- :0)

We didn't take a summer vacation this year, so we're going to Six Flags in St.Louis!!! There's nothing quite like a natural high from going REALLY fast, being scared to death, screaming, and laughing all at the same time..... :0) Woo hoo!!!!!

Going to be looking into other things to do while we're there--- We know about the Arch.... and I believe they have a great zoo. Anything else that's a "must-do" while we're there??? What about the train station??? Oh, and I think we'll stop at Lambert's for some "throwed rolls" along the way, too..... ;0)

school decisions.... ;0)

We're already thinking about school for next year with the kiddos. Every year we pray for direction about what to do. There are sooo many classes available to homeschoolers that we've not been short on new experiences. We've been going through a homeschooler's school for these last two years-- Veritas Classical Christian School. It's a school where homeschoolers go for their main curriculum for one day, come home with assignments for the next week, then go back the following week for class again. It's been a great way to hit those harder subjects with my 8th grader. She goes an additional day each week for her physical science and algebra. :0)

So, now with high school on the horizon the decision is whether to try public school or stick with our homeschooler's school for 9-12th grades. When I go back to the reasons why we homeschooled in the first place it's VERY easy to see that this homeschool life style has been nothing but a tremendous blessing for our family every step of the way. Ninth grade should be no different, I suppose..... It's working great for us now... it's worked every year up to now....

Praying for clear direction.... and some days I have to say regular school seems exciting-- But, in the big picture.... isn't it all about raising them up for the Kingdom?? Isn't it all about raising them up to be who He created them to be--- and to not follow the crowd?? I honestly don't want them to blend in with the rest of the world.... I don't want them to look like everybody else. I want them to shine for the King.....

The answer will come-- Not really looking for an answer from anybody. This is just sharing what my heart, my soul, and my mind are talking about these days. :0)