I survived the last week! Now I am down to one job, and I'll admit, one class. I dropped my psychology class (online), because I really, really dislike the way the professer grades, and the textbooks (which honestly seem to have more to do with human biology than psych). He grades written responses to his questions 60% word count, and only 40% quality of writing. I'm sorry, but I really think it should be the other way around. Anyone can add a lot of useless mumbo jumbo to their writing (including myself), but can they write clearly? Concisely? I am spending part of this wonderful, and much needed, weekend off working on my demonstration speech for next week, but the public speaking teacher is good, so I'm keeping that class, even with my fears of talking in front of people.
The kids drew some beautiful pictures for me this week, and C.O. painted a nice portrait of his daddy. I found my copy of BFG by Roald Dahl. so we're going to start reading that tonight. I always loved that book as a kid. After that we'll read James and the Giant Peach. I get a little more time with them this next week, which will be so nice! I just have to keep reminding myself that it's only for 6 weeks, and then life will be back to normal!
I have a secret! Should I tell you? It's a BIG amazing thing that will change a lot of things for us. Hmmmmm......
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
I hate this week...
Sorry to have such a negative title, but OMG this week has been awful. I've barely seen the kids all week, and by the time I get a day off (Saturday), I will have worked 12 days in a row. Mostly two jobs, plus class. I think I am going crazy. Tomorrow, I only have class and one job to go to. And, I amazingly get the whole weekend off! Finally, a few minutes to spend with my kids. It's been really hard being away from them so much, although my mom's been great with them!
Speaking of the kids.... they did the worst thing today. They were playing out in the tiny backyard at my mom's, fighting, like they've been doing a lot lately, and both of them started screaming. They screamed so much that a neighbor called the police, afraid that they were being abused. My mom was shocked when 2 cops arrived. Apparently, they (the police) had a good talk with the kids about not screaming, so we'll see how well that worked. M has been telling them for a long time that this would happen eventually, since they do scream like they're being murdered. Thankfully, no harm came to anyone.
Anyhow, I am very, very tired. I get my first paycheck tomorrow - hope it's worthwhile. I need about a million hours of sleep. Just thought I'd give y'all an update.
Speaking of the kids.... they did the worst thing today. They were playing out in the tiny backyard at my mom's, fighting, like they've been doing a lot lately, and both of them started screaming. They screamed so much that a neighbor called the police, afraid that they were being abused. My mom was shocked when 2 cops arrived. Apparently, they (the police) had a good talk with the kids about not screaming, so we'll see how well that worked. M has been telling them for a long time that this would happen eventually, since they do scream like they're being murdered. Thankfully, no harm came to anyone.
Anyhow, I am very, very tired. I get my first paycheck tomorrow - hope it's worthwhile. I need about a million hours of sleep. Just thought I'd give y'all an update.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
6/16 through 6/17... art fair and housework...
Saturday: We went to the Marin Art Festival, courtesy of one of the artists (she gets all her matting supplies from the company M works for). We saw everything from truly gorgeous art to stuff you couldn't pay me to take home. I especially loved some abstract sculptures that turn in the wind - full of clear, strong colors; and all the things carved from wood - bowls, cups, platters, and more. Some of the prices were more incredible than the artwork! Both kids took advantage of the free face painting booth. C.O. got the Batman logo painted on his face, while C.J. looked like a beautiful fairy princess. C.J. loved the stilt-walkers and kept hunting them out all over the festival. They both found artwork they absolutely loved, and some of it gave me ideas for some work of my own.
Afterwards, we stopped by to visit my dad. I think one of these days, M and I will go down there for the afternoon to fix his tippy fence and tidy up his yard. His roses need pruning, the grass needs to be de-thatched and overseeded. It's a very small yard, so it won't need much, but since my dad had a stroke almost 7 years ago (when I was 2 months pregnant with C.O.), he hasn't been able to do these things very easily.
Today: We started out the day with one of the kids' favorite breakfasts - oatmeal pancakes from the Laurel's Kitchen cookbook. Our plans for the day include cleaning house (so exciting!), baking bread, and doing laundry. C.J. always loves to help sort the laundry, and both like making bread. Maybe I'll make M a batch of cinnamon rolls too since his new, extended hours start tomorrow. If we can get everything done in a fairly timely fashion, I'll take the elflings over to the park later in the afternoon/early evening. I am debating what book to start reading to the kids next - I am jealous that Jenny's kids are digging Harry Potter! Mine like the movies, but when I tried (a few months back) to read the books aloud, they had little interest. Maybe I'll have to dig out volume one and try again! I think we may try James & the Giant Peach too (or instead).
This week will be a busy one. I have a 2-day training at the grocery store, M has a birthday, I start classes tomorrow morning. By Friday, I will be working 2 jobs a day, just through the end of the month, thankfully. There's an unschooling potluck dinner this week that I hope to make it to - just have to decide on a dish to bring, and see how my energy levels are holding up!
Afterwards, we stopped by to visit my dad. I think one of these days, M and I will go down there for the afternoon to fix his tippy fence and tidy up his yard. His roses need pruning, the grass needs to be de-thatched and overseeded. It's a very small yard, so it won't need much, but since my dad had a stroke almost 7 years ago (when I was 2 months pregnant with C.O.), he hasn't been able to do these things very easily.
Today: We started out the day with one of the kids' favorite breakfasts - oatmeal pancakes from the Laurel's Kitchen cookbook. Our plans for the day include cleaning house (so exciting!), baking bread, and doing laundry. C.J. always loves to help sort the laundry, and both like making bread. Maybe I'll make M a batch of cinnamon rolls too since his new, extended hours start tomorrow. If we can get everything done in a fairly timely fashion, I'll take the elflings over to the park later in the afternoon/early evening. I am debating what book to start reading to the kids next - I am jealous that Jenny's kids are digging Harry Potter! Mine like the movies, but when I tried (a few months back) to read the books aloud, they had little interest. Maybe I'll have to dig out volume one and try again! I think we may try James & the Giant Peach too (or instead).
This week will be a busy one. I have a 2-day training at the grocery store, M has a birthday, I start classes tomorrow morning. By Friday, I will be working 2 jobs a day, just through the end of the month, thankfully. There's an unschooling potluck dinner this week that I hope to make it to - just have to decide on a dish to bring, and see how my energy levels are holding up!
Friday, June 15, 2007
Things are actually looking up...
Yesterday seems to have been the turning point. I got a job (yeah, it's only a moderately okay one - I'll be doing retail again) that will cover many of our expenses, and then when I picked M up from work, it turned out he had gotten more hours and a raise! I've gone over the numbers again and again, and it looks like we'll be out of the hole finally. I still plan on quitting this unexciting job at the end of summer and going back to my sweet little 15-hour-a-week position, especially since I am due my one year raise at that point. I'm also working on some little artistic endeavors to sell (maybe eBay, maybe an etsy shop, maybe farmer's market, etc.). Teaching art classes is kind of a no-go right now (thanks other lady, said sarcastically of course), but I am trying to accept that everything happens for a reason.
So, I am feeling very much relieved. I know this summer won't be the easiest one, but we'll get through it. I play with the kids daily, reading them stories, playing board games, and it really does help. I try very, very hard to keep my negativity away from them. And in the fall, hopefully things will be somewhat back to normal!
Back to class for me next week. My psychlogy class sounds interesting, but I'll admit, I am not looking forward to speech class (I abhor public speaking). But, it is required for transfer, so I'll endure it. In the fall, I get the pleasure of enrolling in math. Oh joy.
The kids are doing well, although they seem to be having a hard time adjusting to not doing lessons. Every day they ask if we are homeschooling today, to which I always reply that I didn't have anything planned. C.O. reads nearly every word he comes across, and today I caught him multiplying... 3x2, 3x3, 3x4.... up to 3x10. C.J. is in the midst of that lovely stage where she has become a real smart aleck - I was thinking of another word there that begins with an "a" but I'll resist ;) If everything goes the way it's looking, they'll be back in Aikido and ballet by fall, which they are both looking forward to. I think though, that C.J. would be really good at martial arts too, so I may look into that for her as well.
I am still in the (apparently eternal) inner debate over curriculum (see my link in the sidebar). At least I have a couple of months to figure it out!
So, I am feeling very much relieved. I know this summer won't be the easiest one, but we'll get through it. I play with the kids daily, reading them stories, playing board games, and it really does help. I try very, very hard to keep my negativity away from them. And in the fall, hopefully things will be somewhat back to normal!
Back to class for me next week. My psychlogy class sounds interesting, but I'll admit, I am not looking forward to speech class (I abhor public speaking). But, it is required for transfer, so I'll endure it. In the fall, I get the pleasure of enrolling in math. Oh joy.
The kids are doing well, although they seem to be having a hard time adjusting to not doing lessons. Every day they ask if we are homeschooling today, to which I always reply that I didn't have anything planned. C.O. reads nearly every word he comes across, and today I caught him multiplying... 3x2, 3x3, 3x4.... up to 3x10. C.J. is in the midst of that lovely stage where she has become a real smart aleck - I was thinking of another word there that begins with an "a" but I'll resist ;) If everything goes the way it's looking, they'll be back in Aikido and ballet by fall, which they are both looking forward to. I think though, that C.J. would be really good at martial arts too, so I may look into that for her as well.
I am still in the (apparently eternal) inner debate over curriculum (see my link in the sidebar). At least I have a couple of months to figure it out!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Yes, I'm still alive...
We've been going through a really difficult financial situation here - they upped M's child support with no warning, as we had gotten behind a bit last year (he has a 13 year old son we very rarely see), so we've been totally scrambling just to make ends meet. I admit, the whole situation has gotten me down quite a bit, which is one of the reasons I haven't been going anywhere - being angry, upset and resentful does not make me a fun person. Plus my inlaws drove in from Arizona last week and showed up on 4H Family Night. It's just been a very difficult couple of weeks. We're filing to have the child support lowered, but somehow that part can take up to 180 days, if the other parent doesn't object, and believe me, she will. My nice little part-time job only lasts 10 months out of the year, so I only have income through the end of this month, which is adding to the whole stress thing. But, M is looking for supplemental work, and he is getting more hours at his current job starting next week. I am trying to have faith that things will get better. I have applied for a couple of positions too, and called the temp agency last week, so hopefully we'll get through this rough patch intact. M wants me home at least half the time, plus I am really trying to finish college, and I still have a way to go!
Anyhow, not much else going on here. I have hit the treadmill TWO days already this week (and got up to a comfortable slow run), and today I took the kids to our apartment complex's pool. I swam laps while they splashed around in their little innertubes.
C.J. has finished with ballet for now. I think if she returns to ballet in the fall, we will find another teacher, as this one kept missing classes (well, okay, she missed 2 out of 8). C.O. got his white belt! That's the first step in Aikido, and then in his class, they add colored stripes to the belt - he'll get red in the fall when he returns. We're offically on summer vacation now, and C.O. has officially graduated kindergarten.
Thank you Maria and Jenny for thinking of me!
Anyhow, not much else going on here. I have hit the treadmill TWO days already this week (and got up to a comfortable slow run), and today I took the kids to our apartment complex's pool. I swam laps while they splashed around in their little innertubes.
C.J. has finished with ballet for now. I think if she returns to ballet in the fall, we will find another teacher, as this one kept missing classes (well, okay, she missed 2 out of 8). C.O. got his white belt! That's the first step in Aikido, and then in his class, they add colored stripes to the belt - he'll get red in the fall when he returns. We're offically on summer vacation now, and C.O. has officially graduated kindergarten.
Thank you Maria and Jenny for thinking of me!
Sunday, June 3, 2007
5/26 through 6/3... Catching up...
We've been just moving along here, with schoolwork that is. We have officially finished Saxon Math 1, and C.O. has reached the goals I set for him in his language arts studies. So what are we doing now? C.O. is finishing the illustrations for his story of The 3 Little Pigs and the Big Ugly Bear. He's building a dinosaur diorama (he's totally excited about this as he loved the dioramas in Night At The Museum). He's running, playing, biking, and relaxing. C.J. is very intent on vegetables lately - she spends hours at a time going thorugh various gardening books looking at all the photos/illustrations of the vegetables. She spends hours of her day playing in the sand box. Though I still have one meeting left with C.O.'s IST, we're essentially starting summer vacation now!
I too am finished with my classes until mid-June, so I am focusing on finanaces and housework for the next couple of weeks... you know, the fun stuff! I never got my spring-cleaning done this year, so instead I am doing early-summer-cleaning. I'd like the house to be in great shape - beyond great shape if possible - by midsummer. Just because. So I am scrubbing grout, rearranging furniture, getting rid of yet more outgrown clothes, books (including some of mine), toys...
We had fun this last Friday evening! We went with BIL to the Sausalito Jazz & Blues By The Bay. We had a picnic, listened to live music, watched boats, and met some really great people. BIL knows some people that own a small funky houseboat down there, so the kids and I got to go on a houseboat for the first time ever! M has been on one before, but he still thought it was all pretty cool. We got a standing invitation to come back anytime, and to go out on the whale watching boat these people run! I used to go sailing, with my mom's (now deceased) ex-boyfriend - we once sailed from Tomales Bay to Santa Cruz, and I love being near the water. C.O. wants desperately for us to buy a boat now instead of saving for a real house... it is kind of tempting!
I too am finished with my classes until mid-June, so I am focusing on finanaces and housework for the next couple of weeks... you know, the fun stuff! I never got my spring-cleaning done this year, so instead I am doing early-summer-cleaning. I'd like the house to be in great shape - beyond great shape if possible - by midsummer. Just because. So I am scrubbing grout, rearranging furniture, getting rid of yet more outgrown clothes, books (including some of mine), toys...
We had fun this last Friday evening! We went with BIL to the Sausalito Jazz & Blues By The Bay. We had a picnic, listened to live music, watched boats, and met some really great people. BIL knows some people that own a small funky houseboat down there, so the kids and I got to go on a houseboat for the first time ever! M has been on one before, but he still thought it was all pretty cool. We got a standing invitation to come back anytime, and to go out on the whale watching boat these people run! I used to go sailing, with my mom's (now deceased) ex-boyfriend - we once sailed from Tomales Bay to Santa Cruz, and I love being near the water. C.O. wants desperately for us to buy a boat now instead of saving for a real house... it is kind of tempting!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
2007-2008
First Grade
Math:
Saxon Math 2
Language Arts:
History:
Story of the World: The Ancients
Kingfisher History Encyclopedia
Variety of library books, as well as hands-on projects, as further resources.
Geography:
Maps, Globes, Graphs (level B)
SOTW Activity Guide
Science:
RealScience4Kids Biology, pre-level 1
Animal Encyclopedia for Children
Learning Page and Enchanted Learning (for worksheets, coloring pages, etc.)
Art and Music:
Classical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Music class at the charter school
Lots of drawing
Math:
Saxon Math 2
Language Arts:
Oak Meadow 1st Grade Language arts
History:
Story of the World: The Ancients
Kingfisher History Encyclopedia
Variety of library books, as well as hands-on projects, as further resources.
Geography:
Maps, Globes, Graphs (level B)
SOTW Activity Guide
Science:
RealScience4Kids Biology, pre-level 1
Animal Encyclopedia for Children
Learning Page and Enchanted Learning (for worksheets, coloring pages, etc.)
Art and Music:
Classical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Music class at the charter school
Lots of drawing
Introduction to Foreign Language
Spanish lessons at the charter school
Other:
More homeschool association field trips and park days
Continued arts-based classes 1 morning a week at the charter school
Pre-K (basically on an as-desired basis)
Other:
More homeschool association field trips and park days
Continued arts-based classes 1 morning a week at the charter school
Pre-K (basically on an as-desired basis)
Art and Music:
Classical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Music class at the charter school (started in March)
Lots of drawing
Music class at the charter school (started in March)
Lots of drawing
Introduction to Foreign Language:
Spanish lessons at the charter school (started in March)
Spanish lessons at the charter school (started in March)
Other:
See first grade above
See first grade above
2006-07
Kindergarten
Math:
Saxon Math 1
Language Arts:
Houghton Mifflin Spelling & Vocabulary - Phonics in Action (2/3 of 1st grade level)
Easy Lessons for Teaching Word Families (1-19)
Bob Books
Superbooks
Handwriting Without Tears (Letters and Numbers for Me)
Social Studies:
Unit studies of our own design based around the theme of My Community & Myself. We made a family tree, learned about our local community by visiting various places and businesses, learned about different regions of the United States, and more
Maps, Graphs, Globes - level 1
Science:
Again, unit studies of our own design, including (but not limited to) astronomy, geology, dinosaurs, the seasons, and transportation. We also did experiments from the Everything Kids Science Experiments Book
Art and Music:
We explored art through a variety of mediums - paint, chalk, crayons, pastels, and so forth. We listened to a lot of classical music and discussed different styles and instruments.
Physical Education:
Soccer, gymnastics, and Aikido, plus all the day-to-day bike/scooter riding, tree-climbing, running, etc.
Other:
Various field trips with the local homeschool association
4H homeschool group - Lego building, arts and crafts, and more
2 weekly arts-based classes at the charter school we homeschool through
Pre-K
Math:
Counting activities
Printouts from Enchanted Learning
Learning Horizons Super Preschool Activity Book
Language Arts:
Starfall
Winnie-the-Pooh's Classic ABC's
Learning Horizons Super Preschool Activity Book
Alphabet pages from Enchanted Learning
Social Studies and Science:
Listened in on and participated in the kindergarten activities
Art and Music:
See kindergarten
Physical Education:
Gymnastics and ballet
Other:
See kindergarten, although she played instead of doing the Lego project
Math:
Saxon Math 1
Language Arts:
Houghton Mifflin Spelling & Vocabulary - Phonics in Action (2/3 of 1st grade level)
Easy Lessons for Teaching Word Families (1-19)
Bob Books
Superbooks
Handwriting Without Tears (Letters and Numbers for Me)
Social Studies:
Unit studies of our own design based around the theme of My Community & Myself. We made a family tree, learned about our local community by visiting various places and businesses, learned about different regions of the United States, and more
Maps, Graphs, Globes - level 1
Science:
Again, unit studies of our own design, including (but not limited to) astronomy, geology, dinosaurs, the seasons, and transportation. We also did experiments from the Everything Kids Science Experiments Book
Art and Music:
We explored art through a variety of mediums - paint, chalk, crayons, pastels, and so forth. We listened to a lot of classical music and discussed different styles and instruments.
Physical Education:
Soccer, gymnastics, and Aikido, plus all the day-to-day bike/scooter riding, tree-climbing, running, etc.
Other:
Various field trips with the local homeschool association
4H homeschool group - Lego building, arts and crafts, and more
2 weekly arts-based classes at the charter school we homeschool through
Pre-K
Math:
Counting activities
Printouts from Enchanted Learning
Learning Horizons Super Preschool Activity Book
Language Arts:
Starfall
Winnie-the-Pooh's Classic ABC's
Learning Horizons Super Preschool Activity Book
Alphabet pages from Enchanted Learning
Social Studies and Science:
Listened in on and participated in the kindergarten activities
Art and Music:
See kindergarten
Physical Education:
Gymnastics and ballet
Other:
See kindergarten, although she played instead of doing the Lego project
Hmmmm.....
Thought I'd update at last.... let's see....
Due to an increase in child support, both M and I are looking for second (or in my case possibly other) jobs, as M's job hasn't gone fulltime yet. I am still looking at part-time, though maybe a few more hours than I work now.
School is going well. I am actually finished for the semester, and gearing up for the summer semester. I have one year left at this college, then I transfer to a four-year one. Scary. Still maintaining a 3.5, which is far better than I ever did in high school! If I can get it up to a 3.6, I'll have high honors, which makes me laugh considering I barely graduated 12th grade (okay, I hated high school, homework, etc.).
C.O. has finished the first grade in kindergarten, so in the fall he'll be doing second grade for first. C.J. will be technically preK this fall, doing kindergarten work, since she's always eager to homeschool - "let's do homeschooling NOW... pleeeeeeaaaase". Might as well take advantage of it! Due to fairly recent birthdays, I am now mom to a SIX year old and a FOUR year old - not sure how this got here so fast! Odds and ends of news: C.O. is growing his hair out this summer; C.J. loves her ballet classes and wants to be a dancer; I'm working on a handcrafted furniture line to go with my mom's Hitty dolls.
Other than that, nothing new here. Just slogging along living life! Looking forward to a long, hot, semi-lazy summer (well, except for school, work, the little things). I hope to get in a few little trips over the next few months, like the zoo, science museum, county fair, and so forth. We'll see how it goes!
Due to an increase in child support, both M and I are looking for second (or in my case possibly other) jobs, as M's job hasn't gone fulltime yet. I am still looking at part-time, though maybe a few more hours than I work now.
School is going well. I am actually finished for the semester, and gearing up for the summer semester. I have one year left at this college, then I transfer to a four-year one. Scary. Still maintaining a 3.5, which is far better than I ever did in high school! If I can get it up to a 3.6, I'll have high honors, which makes me laugh considering I barely graduated 12th grade (okay, I hated high school, homework, etc.).
C.O. has finished the first grade in kindergarten, so in the fall he'll be doing second grade for first. C.J. will be technically preK this fall, doing kindergarten work, since she's always eager to homeschool - "let's do homeschooling NOW... pleeeeeeaaaase". Might as well take advantage of it! Due to fairly recent birthdays, I am now mom to a SIX year old and a FOUR year old - not sure how this got here so fast! Odds and ends of news: C.O. is growing his hair out this summer; C.J. loves her ballet classes and wants to be a dancer; I'm working on a handcrafted furniture line to go with my mom's Hitty dolls.
Other than that, nothing new here. Just slogging along living life! Looking forward to a long, hot, semi-lazy summer (well, except for school, work, the little things). I hope to get in a few little trips over the next few months, like the zoo, science museum, county fair, and so forth. We'll see how it goes!
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