Perhaps One Less Thing to Worry About

Thinking about making a high school transcript for Angelboy should we still be homeschooling next year, is a stress triggering idea for me.  However, after talking to a couple of homeschool mom's I know, I have learned that it may not be as bad as I had first thought.  Both of these mom's said they didn't really keep records.  This was a happy thought indeed and may have filled me with both feelings of relief and awe at their devil-may-care attitudes. 

Then it occurred to me that, considering we live in a state where recordkeeping for homeschoolers is at a bare minimum, that maybe this isn't that crazy after all.  Perhaps keeping track of subjects studied and knowing that they have a good understanding of the concepts and subjects studied are the most important things.  This would be something that I can do and perhaps even enjoy. 

These mom's had only first year high school students so it is possible that they will start thinking more about recordkeeping further along in their child's high school career.  In the meantime I feel that I don't have to let this stand in the way of homeschooling Angelboy through highschool.  I still feel I need to do more looking into what is required of me for homeschooling highschool but for now I feel less daunted.

Okay, With a Few Adjustments---Maybe It Won't be so Bad After All

Well, we are back to the dreaded homeschooling.  That's right. Dreaded. 

I was not looking forward to starting again.  I was seriously thinking of sending Angelboy to the public Jr. High full time as soon as Christmas break was over. 

I dreaded the task of organizing the week and telling him what we were doing and when.  But you know what I did?  I gave him the books and had him organize the week and what we would be doing from each book.  This included: math, science, and language arts so far.  I'm giving the resonsibility (well a lot more of it anyway) to Angelboy to make sure we get schooling done.  He just tells me what to do and I will do it.  I'm here to help out if he needs me.  Well it probably won't be that simple but the idea is that I need and expect him to shoulder more responsibility for his own education.   I think he will do well with this.

O.K. the other reason I was dreading it was because he is fourteen and sometimes it seems like he has an opinion about everything which means that it seems like he contradicts me on everything.  When did this start to happen? It has become more and more apparent that the teenage years are here. 

There does seem to be a glimmer of hope though.  We both agreed that everything seemed much clearer after the break and we actually enjoyed the schooling that we did together.

Maybe we can do this.

Seven Quick Takes Volume 8

1. I had a beautiful Christmas. Although there were disappointments like my sister not coming and not being able to get very much alone time in with my husand, I felt that the consistent practice of our Advent devotions had the effect of making a little bit more room in my heart for Jesus. For me this meant things such as being touched by the fact that Almighty God became a helpless baby subject to human care. God is truly humble.

2. Here is a picture of the dutch oven my husband gave me for Christmas:

It's really beautiful. The picture doesn't do it justice. My husband also got me the cook book Soups from a Monastery Kitchen by Brother Victor-Antoine. Here is a picture of my cut-up vegetables, carrots, celery and turnips, that I used for making soup out of the book:

Many of the soups have relatively simple ingredients and are surprisingly tasty despite that.

3. I find myself looking forward to Monday when we will begin homeschooling again after a looooong amount of time off. I am having Angelboy plan what he will do next week with Math, Science, Language, and Geography. I may plan history, religion, and whatever else. I hope having him plan his own work and take more responsiblity for his own learning helps cut down on what I have to do. I was seriously thinking about having him go to public school full time after Christmas break because I didn't feel I was doing a good job of keeping on top of things and was worried about him getting a good education. We will at least finish this year at home. Next year is high school so we will see.

4. I think Angelboy would probably do well with keeping his faith and morality if he did go back to public school. I think having him home for the past 3+ years has been wonderful for grounding him in the faith. It's also been 3+ years since I have been in public school teaching. I am certain that much has changed in that short amount of time. They were just beginning to deal with the cell phone issue back then, but now I think that cell phones among teens is much more prevalent. Face Book is also much more widespread than it was just a few years ago. I know there is a lot of bad things that go on in public schools but there are also a lot of good kids and teachers. Its difficult deciding what to do.

5. One thing I would really like to do this year is get up earlier in the mornings on a more consistent basis. I would exercise and blog among other things and have time to plan my day. I need to reflect on what I would like to accomplish this year and make plans. Some solid plans to change certain behaviors and attitudes would certainly be a good idea. I need to work on patience and accepting times when things don't go as planned.

6. Last year I made the resolution to go to monthly confession and followed through even when I really didn't want to go. I need to make another commitment like this. First Friday Mass? Weekday mass at least one day a week? Daily rosary? Any ideas?

7. Well I need to get ready to go to church now. My husband is making blueberry muffins. Yum! One of the accomplishments I can claim for this year is more regular posting on my blog. Granted it started later in the year but it happened none the less. I look forward to another year of regular blogging. It is certainly one of my favorite things.

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A Few Scenes from the Past Two Weeks

Our first big snow of the year on December 12.

Buttery sugar cookies ready for the oven.

Espresso cutouts drizzled in white chcolate.

Finally a chance to go out and play in the snow.

Snowflakes made by Dad (the one at the very top and third from bottom), Uncle B. (the one at the bottom) and Angelboy (the rest of them).

Got some presents wrapped!

Simple Woman Day Book

FOR TODAY... December 21, 2009

Outside my window...Gray sky with snow on the ground

I am thinking... I am thinking about what to have for Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Day

I am thankful for... being done with writing Christmas Cards

I am wearing...jeans and a green sweatshirt that says Iowa Computer Science

I am remembering...playing in the snow yesterday with Pumpkin girl. This was really her first time out playing in the snow. It was fun.

I am going...to make time for prayer despite the business of the season.

I am currently reading...Frequent Confession by Baur. Have read snippets of Bob Artley's Country Christmas: As remembered by a former kid

I am hoping...to buy everything I need for Christmas today. This includes food for dinner and a few more presents. There is supposed to be a snow storm beginning Wednesday so I am also hoping my sister will be able to make it up for Christmas Eve. Nevertheless I want to have everything we need so I can stay inside and relax.

On my mind...I need to talk with my husband about whether he wants to try and fix the dryer or if we want to hire a repair man and pay $129 flat fee for labor charges plus parts. I think even with trial and error it could possibly be less than this.

Noticing that...even though I somewhat dread making out Christmas cards, once I get started it goes smoothly and I am glad to have sent season's greetings to family and friends.

Pondering the words...O antiphon for today: "O dayspring, brightness of the everlasting light, Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death."

From the kitchen...made gooey chcolate chip cookies last night. Ate more than enough and also set some aside to be part of the Christmas cookie stash.

Around the house...Need Spic and Span so I the kitchn and bathroom floors can be mopped.

One of my favorite things...Christmas lights up through January.

From my picture journal...

Pumpkingirl bundled up to go out and play in the snow.

Seven Quick Takes Vol. 7

1. Last night we went to a free Christmas Show downtown at our local theater. Carolers sang outside as people were coming in. There was free cookies and hot chocolate. We had gone to this two years ago when Pumpkingirl was a baby and really liked it. We had decided to go at the spur of the moment. It is always a little uncertain how things will go when a toddler and an infant are in the mix so I was a little hesitant about dragging everybody out into the cold and trying to find a parkng place but it turned out to be really nice. That change of routine was a Godsend!

2. I have been baking cookies this week and intend to make some today and over the weekend. I have always baked cut out sugar cookies for the past few years but this is the first year that I will be baking more of a variety. I am going to try and get in at least four different kinds. I know this isn't a lot to some people but for me it is a good start. I have really been enjoying it. I have to remember to include my oldest Angelboy though. I enjoy it so much that I tend to leave him out and want to do everything myself. He did bake a whole batch of his own sugar cookies though. We should strive for more togetherness.

3. I feel God has really been blessing our Advent. I feel our Advent devotions, though simple, have been bringing us closer to God and to each other while keeping the true meaning of Christmas in mind. This doesn't mean I haven't strayed and let myself become stressed out and grouchy but it has been a good foundation for our Christmas preparations.

4. Speaking of the true meaning of Christmas, I only need to buy a gift for hubby and then I am pretty much done. We really don't have that much Christmas shopping to do. We buy a few things for each other and I buy a few things for my sister, brother and 3 nephews. That's pretty much it. We haven't been buying for our parents. They usually get a picture of the kids. We have a little more time for this since we ususally don't see them until New Year's Day. Gosh, writing all that down makes me think I have more to do than I thought. Better get hoppin'. I'm sure others put a lot more on themselves than this though.

5. I am always hesitant to make cookies because I am worried that I will eat a lot of them myself. This hasn't happened so far. I think it is because I am rather proud of them and want to save them to show off on Christmas Eve when my brother and sister are coming over. My vanity is keeping me in line.

6. We haven't gotten our Christmas Tree yet but will get it next week when hubby takes the week off. We are going to get a live tree this year I guess. We are going to go and pick one out and chop it down ourselves. We had done this three years ago on the day before Christmas Eve. We thought it was cool to get our tree just a few days before Christmas like stories you read or see on t.v. More traditional? There wasn't quite the selection of trees by then of course, and they still charge you the same for the tree but we didn't care. We were caught up in the joyful spirit of the day.

7. It looks like we will be having a white Christmas for the third year in a row. You never know what the weather is going to do in Iowa so all the snow could melt before Christmas:) Merry Christmas!

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Names for the Kids

I've decided to give my kids online names. I will give my oldest son the name Angelboy, my two year old daughter I will name Pumpkingirl and baby will get the name of Smileyboy. How's that?