Blogging - Take 21....action!

There was a time when I was a pretty regular blogger....and then a co-op was born, and my time just seems to be so limited. At the same time, my partner -- the director of the co-op -- still manages to post somewhat regularly, and so I'm back to try this one more time. Even if I'll have about 5 followers at this point!

Wednesdays is supposed to be "What's Cookin' Wednesdays", but I don't have much of a fancy recipie for the day. I've been pulling out the slow cooker more now that fall has arrived, and find that a pot roast or pork roast feeds the family for several days, so I'll be using it more and more....besides, the house smells so good ALL DAY when you use a slow cooker! This week's meal was as simple as it gets: throw a boneless rolled pork shoulder roast into the slow cooker (take netting off first!), and smother with a small applesauce container (about 1/2 cup). That's it. Nine to ten hours later, dinner is ready....okay, you'll have to make the other items on your own, but we use this meal at least once every few weeks. The leftovers are then great for sandwiches and stirfrys!

Letting the girls sleep in as I usually do on Wednesdays; we've been finding that afternoon school is working pretty well, and I love having time in the mornings to get things done around the house or for administrative/teaching responsibilities for the co-op. Today I expect that they'll sleep in a bit later than normal as The Authoress had two friends over last night, and they left pretty late. I love my daughter's friends -- all of my students/alumni, actually. They are such incredible young people, with some wonderful ideas and even better questions about life. I love the fact that, as teenagers, they are already comfortable talking with adults about things that matter (and many things that don't!). Some of them have become like adopted children at this point, and I am grateful that my home -- cluttered, dusty, and cramped as it it -- is still considered a haven for them. As long as the floorboards in the living room continue to hold, I'm good for entertaining teens anytime!

Teachable Tuesdays -- Let the Lesson Planning Begin!

Now that my show is over (new photo is from my role of Carmen Bernstein in the show "Curtains"), I'm hoping to get back into a bit of blogging. Seems that last year the co-op just took all of my free time, but I think I can discipline myself to sit down at least a few times a week.

Yesterday I took almost an entire day off, but last night the urge hit to pull out the books for the coming year and begin again. Since we actually start our homeschool year later this month, I thought it best to do some prelimary work! Summer weeks are pretty light--especially since the girls take a lot of their core classes at the co-op. I sketched out the first month of math, spanish, world cultures, and chemistry. That plus drama camp in August is all they need until the year begins in earnest in September.

This morning I searched the web for various study guides and class activities for my theaer arts class....we'll be starting with Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, and I found lots of great resources. Will spend some time today typing up some specific weekly activities. I'm looking forward to teaching this class so much!

I also just got the scripts and music for the Music Theater class for next year; we'll be doing a 50's show, and the material looks pretty decent. Now I have something to do in the coming few weeks of free time!

Nine months later....

No, I wasn't pregnant! Although, in a sense, this past year was one full of rebirth with the new co-op. It did seem to consume most of my free time. I've been feeling the desire to get back to blogging, and will try to get back to my normal schedule, but I'm not going to be too anal about it, either!

Maybe turning 50 was a good thing....seems I've finally come to that point in my life where I'm truly comfortable with who I am. What a gift that is!

Many things going on, but it's now 1:45AM, and I'm going to bed!

Monday Meanderings

The Second Smartest Decision I Ever Made....was to stand before God 18 years ago today and share my vows with my cherished Ape Husband. It's been an amazing 18 years, and thanks to the Grace of God, a relatively easy ride compared to so many of the marriages in today's world.

The only thing I did that was SMARTER was to follow God's call home to Rome. I often tell my husband that my Catholic faith was the greatest gift that he gave to me, for he was the catalyst.

The only thing I DIDN'T seem to know at the time we set our date was that we were getting married on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows!

My summer in the desert

I didn't REALLY spend my summer in the desert; however, that's what I've come to call the dry spells in my writing throughout my lifetime. Sometimes it is truly a case of writer's block, where just sitting at the keyboard brings empty pages and frustration. THIS summer it was the result of just being BUSY. With a major project to help plan and implement, I found I had little time left over for the blogworld. Whatever creativity I seemed to find was poured into writing new curriculum for the classes I teach this year. All in all, the summer passed by so quickly, and I now yearn for the quiet times with my blog and those that I used to read on a regular basis.

I was reflecting this week -- now that my planning time has settled down -- on how God has used my "desert" times for all kinds of growth in my life. Whether it be my writing, or my quest for better health, or my spiritual growth, my desert times have always felt dry and barren. Don't get me wrong; this summer was extremely productive and I'm thrilled with the result. However, in looking back at the past few months, I feel that the time was definitely less creative on a personal level. On the same note, my prayer life suffered, my diet and exercise regime fell back into stress eating patterns of long ago, and generally I felt like the little gerbil on the wheel.

Finally, I feel that the oasis is ahead, and that refreshing springs are within reach again. My desire to write, and to visit my favorite blogs (and find some new ones!) is growing, and I feel that I may actually have time to DO so! Most of all, I feel a new and deeper connection with my God, which always seems to be the case after a desert time. I really believe that God calls me to the desert....if only to experience the barrenness, and therefore turn to my faith to sustain me, so that I can better appreciate the lushness of newly found faith on a deeper level at the other end.

I also recognize that summer has ALWAYS been my least favorite season, and fall my favorite. I'm sure that the cooler nights and the crisp mornings has a lot to do with my attitude as well! With the first day of autumn just a week or so away, I'm looking forward to the year ahead. I hope to get back into the structure for my blog that I found just before the dry spell hit. For now, it just feels good to sit at the keyboard and feel the keys tapping below again!

The dawn has finally come!

As dawn breaks, my Authoress daughter is finally going to bed after finishing
Breaking Dawn. Last night we headed to the mall around 9:00 for a pre-release party, and I was amazed at how instant friendships are formed over book series. The minute she walked in she bonded with one other excited fan, and before the night was out she had been hanging out with another girl who I suspect will be an email buddy.

I went back and forth into the store, spending some of my time on a bench in the mall with a couple other parents and the security guards. They were amazed at how the crowd would yell out a trivia answer before the question was even totally out of the bookstore director's mouth! My daughter ended up being the "model" for her group when they had to make Bella's wedding dress out of toilet paper. Her group was chosen the winner by our security guard/judges, and once I get pictures back I'll post....it really was an amazing dress considering it was toilet paper! I tried to convince her that the duct tape prom dress scholarship was really something worth looking into, but somehow that's money I don't think we'll ever be in the running for! :O)

Several hours later we took our place in line, and by 12:40 she had book in hand. Once home, I went to bed and wished her a fun night....I thought it only fitting that she would be just finishing the book as dawn was breaking. Now I guess the countdown begins for the movie release of "Twilight" come December!

Saturday Scriptures....the parable of the Sower

I've been in a really "dry" period of my writing, and I suspect it has alot to do with all the lesson planning and getting ready for our new school year (which for us starts MONDAY!), but tonight's reading at Mass just spoke to my heart.

We've been struggling to find real family as of late, with my darling Ape husband working so many extra hours, and the girls enjoying "down" time with the computer and DVD player all month. Today, however, we took the time to go to confession together, and then Mass and dinner out. Just the Sacrament of Reconciliation alone brought about that more relaxed and calm feeling as we sat waiting for Mass. My favorite priest was on for confession today, and then also celebrated Mass. Just when I think he can't top his last homily, he hits another one out of the park! I know that we don't go to Mass just to get something OUT of it, but he is truly a vessel through which God speaks clearly to my heart.

He used the parable of the Gospel -- one of my favorite parables -- to illustrate how many of us come to Mass. Those with "attitude", who only come out of begrudging obligation, are those on barren soil that the birds snatch up. Those that come trying to make God fit THEIR demands are like the seeds that end up on the shallow soil with rocky ground....for awhile they're into it, but quickly tell God how to do things (for example, "okay, God, can you cut this homily short? It's getting HOT outside!"). Those seeds planted in the thorns are illustrating those hearts which come with the right yearning, but don't have the trust level yet to let go of everything else....the "busy" ones (I must confess that I'd spoken of exactly this sin a half an hour earlier!)....finally, the fertile soil is the fertile heart...the one that recognizes our NEED for God.

He then visually illustrated it even further, by going to get an unconsecrated host. Holding it up high for all to see, he explained how Jesus himself comes to us, almost the size of a seed, to find fertile hearts to grow in. When we recognize our sinfulness, when we truly believe in our hearts that we desperately NEED Him to give us a sense of life, it is then that the heart becomes fruitful.

The evening was a great way to spend some quality time reconnecting with my loving family, and also helped to start the new school year in a better perspective.

Recipie for a Sane Move

I've been absent for a LONG time in the blogosphere; between broken computers, getting the co-op up and running, and helping a friend get ready to move cross-country, it's been a crazy month.

Last night I went over for the girls to say their goodbyes, and I will TRY to get over today to do the same, although my day is full and I tend to say my goodbyes better AFTER the fact with a heart felt letter instead of in person at a time of just raw emotion.

Moving does not bring out the best of me; I'm not sure it brings out the best of ANYONE, but definitely not me. Part of the problem is that while I love my friend dearly, she has had so much going on in her life that organization for the move has been chaotic at best. (It was last time, too, and that was only local).

Rather than rant and rave to vent my own frustrations, I'm taking the high road and just adding it to another reason for my family never to move anywhere.

My recipe today for the sanest move possible?

If at possible, DON'T. If that's not an option, than call a mover. Any price is worth it....I'd give up half the profit from selling a house to not have to do all this by myself.

That being said, I know my friend has made the choices for her family according to her priorities, which are different than mine in this one. I ask for prayers for her and her children as she heads out today for a 3,000 mile move.

The fire's ignited!

Well, it's been a crazy and busy two months, but last night we had our open house for the new co-op, and it was exciting to see both old and new families come through the door. I'm hoping that I can get back into my regular blog mode now that the planning stage is over.

What struck me last night was just how diverse we homeschoolers are. Some are straight workbook mode, some unschoolers, some cyber-school, some traditional,.....the list goes on. But the one thread that seems to run throughout is a commitment to giving our kids the best education that we can find. I know that in the "big" picture we are still a small minority, but I also see those numbers growing each and every year. As one who was a reluctant homeschooler the first year, I've come to love it and embrace the whole homeschool philosophy. I also have recognized these past couple of months that not everyone IS cut to make this choice. AND THAT'S OKAY. For some parents, traditional school IS the best choice for their kids and family, for a variety of reasons.

My own choices have made me a stronger woman, and I've come to know other like minds that share the same vision. It's an exciting place to be right now!

Off to catch up on a few blogs....I feel so out of touch after these two months!

A month of obstacles!

No, I have not died or fallen off a roof.....my absence from the blogosphere can be summed up in two words: BROKEN COMPUTERS. It has been month of challenges and obstacles, with both our new computer and our "old" one being in and out of commission. As one who has truly become dependent on them for communication--not to mention the need for such while helping to get a new co-op off the ground--I have been challenged on every level. I am pleased to say that I have not thrown things, screamed, or further damaged hi-tech equipment by kicking or taking a sledgehammer to anything....but I HAVE cried, prayed, and banged some pots and pans a bit more vigorously in the kitchen!

Both computers finally came home last Friday; our new one began the whole thing on Saturday. We are, at this point, ready to call an exorcist in, as it seems to be the only logical explanation left at this point. Luckily the old computer seems to be working. We are wondering if Vista is the problem, or if we're just lucky. Whatever the case, I'm SO grateful to have a working station again!

My posts will still be light this week, as we have our open house for the new co-op next Monday. There are LOTS of things I've written out on legal pads that now need typing and revising. The Co-op is coming along wonderfully, and I am SO excited about the year to come!

Sunday Saints and Sacraments ...... a bit late!

Yesterday I decided to have a day of rest, and even stayed away from the computer for most of the day. I came across a post last night that made me cry....thanks to Adoro Te Devote for a beautiful post on this feast of the Body and Blood of our Lord. At my parish, our priest had a similar homily, and pointed out that for Catholic Christians, "this is what it's all about....today.....the Eucharist." Because we ARE flesh and blood, we need to be saved HERE, in our flesh and blood...and as we receive, Jesus is saying to us, "YOU are worth it....YOU are part of me". It was an awe-inspring day for me.

While "resting", I read one of the books I had taken out from our local library. Ruth Sanderson's done a beautiful job with SAINTS: LIVES AND ILLUNIMATIONS. Here is her own website showing some of her art. I loved the book not only because of the stories of the saints, but because her illustrations and page borders are modeled after the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages.

All in all, it was a really refreshing day. Sometimes I really NEED to just take time and rest. It reminds of one of my favorite quotes by Augustine:

“Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.”

This is MY kind of thinking!

Danielle Bean
Busy Mom Tip post about carrot cake!
Posted using ShareThis

Scripture Saturdays

Scripture Saturday – Psalm 19

(from Monday's readings this week)

R. (9a) The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.

R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.

R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.

R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


This has always been one of my favorite psalms; I especially love it when it's the Sunday Responsorial Psalm and I can sing it to God. This week has involved a lot of discernment – which is still ongoing – regarding the location of the new co-op I'll be teaching at. We started with a small church saying “yes”, and realized quickly that we would need something bigger. One morning I just started sending emails out to bigger churches in the area that could accommodate us, and told God “it's all yours...we trust you”. This week that trust has led us along several paths, but God's guiding hand is so evident along the way. I know that in the end He will lead us directly to the spot that He has prepared for us.

The command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye. Lead on, Lord!!

Fine Arts Friday --

ARTIST THIS WEEK: MARY CASSATT (1844-1926)


I thought it very fitting on this first “Fine Arts Friday” to start with my favorite artist, whose birthday would have been yesterday. Mary Cassatt was born in Pittsburgh, and went against her family's wishes to become an artist. She moved to Paris and lived among the Impressionists of the day, working side by side with Edward Degas, Berthe Marisot, Monet, and Renoir. In a time when women were supposed to grow up and become wives and mothers, she chose instead to commit her life to her work.

Her paintings reflected everyday life, and her subjects were most often mothers and children. Here are a few of my favorites:

Maternal Caress, 1896, Phiadelphia Museum of Art











Breakfast in Bed, 1897, Huntington Library and Art Collection


















Self Portrait, 1878, Metropolitan Museum of Art




For an activity, have your child gather either personal photos of moms and children together, or cut pictures out of a magazine of the same. Make either a photo collage with a painting of Cassatt in the middle (or a booklet with her on the cover) and all the other pictures around it. Talk about how everyday activities have changed over the years.

Next week for Fine Arts Friday I'll share on a famous composer!

Thankful Thursdays

Today is the day that I give thanks with my new blog format.....and at the moment the Storm Queenis having a major temper tantrum over a pen, lying on the couch with her head under a pillow, ranting about all that's wrong with the world and this family. Okay, Lord, I'm thankful that they don't come as often and don't last as long......does that count?

In all seriousness, I'm SO thankful for my beautiful daughters; they have taught me more about selfless love than anyone else on earth, along with my Ape husband. I'm thankful for my family, immediate and extended. I'm thankful for some truly special friends that have come into my life in the past year or two, as well as some that remain cherished from a quarter century ago.

First and foremost, I'm thankful for my faith, which is what gives my life meaning, purpose,and true happiness.

I can even give thanks for the four furry felines that wake me in the night, throw up around the house, and get cat hair on whatever items that are most opposite in color from themselves (we have black and white cats, so they are always sure to pick the color that will show off their beauty the most!).....

Life is good.....even amidst the chaos!

What's Cookin'? Wednesday -- Crustless Quiche

As my bronchitis seems to have returned a month later, I'm feeling a bit under the weather this week. Yesterday my thoughts turned to favorite "comfort" foods for when I'm sick -- including things like soup, mashed potato, eggs, and anything warm & creamy. Yesterday at lunch I made this quick quiche, so I thought it easy to share it today! It's
an old family favorite from my childhood. Although I don't used the BISQUICK all that often as an adult, I usually have a small box on hand for quick dishes every now and then.

CRUSTLESS QUICHE -- Preheat oven to 400

Use whatever "fillings" you want, and chop them up and put them on the bottom of your pie plate. I used chopped onion and pepper yesterday, but you can use any vegetable and/or meat combination.

Cover with a generous layer of cheese (any flavor)

Mix together 3 beaten eggs, 1 1/2 cups of milk, and 3/4 cup of BISQUICK. Pour over other ingredients and bake for 35-40 minutes.

I usually serve with salad and fruit.

Great warmed up in the microwave the next day.

Couldn't resist this one....

Thanks to A Walk in the Woods for this one....I know the Authoress will need to take it later today to see if she can be Aragorn!!

Teachable Tuesday -- The Homeschool Portfolio

I know many live in states where the portfolio is not required; I also have spoken with many people over the years that believe that Pennsylvania is so "hard" for homeschooling families. I myself believe that they are right on the money, not expecting an outrageous amount from parents, but holding them accountable for their child's education.

This time of year is always busy at our house, getting the portfolios ready for evaluations and then the school district. While some families use just the 8-10 items per subject as suggested by many homeschool books, our family looks at it differently, and usually requires a 3-4 inch binder. Portfolios are far more than required books for the state at our house; they are essentially "memory books" for each year of the girls education. As I have been working on the girls books, they have spent hours going through past years, remembering and laughing together about favorite trips, activities, and "easy" work from days past. Some of you may be putting together your first portfolio; I thought I'd share a few tips that I've found helpful:

1. You need a filing system throughout the year; don't try and sit down in April or May and gather everything together from a million different places! I use a portable hanging file, with each child having four files:
--academic work for portfolio: this is pretty self explanatory....file all tests, reports, essays, etc.
--artwork: choose a couple from each month that stand out and will show progress; for bigger items that
can't fit in a folder, take a photo and use that
--photos/special events: one of the BEST pieces of advice I EVER got when starting homeschooling was to
carry a portable camera with me at all times; you never know when a "field trip" might present itself!
(By the way, the photos are also usually the "favorite" thing to look back on over the years!)
--(for anyone using photos, I also try to keep a "finished pages" folder in my files as I complete them)
--academic work NOT for portfolio: not EVERY worksheet, lab report, etc. should go into your portfolio; but
I usually keep a file for everything else until AFTER I get the final letter from the school district
acknowledging that we've "passed" inspection! After that I discard the remainder of this folder

2. Last year we started a new tradition that has saved me hours of sanity. Sometime at the end of January, I
choose two days for the girls to work on portfolios; usually it's a snowy or rainy day when it's too icky to
go out and play. We have a "P.J." day, and go through all our files from the first half of the year (this
includes cleaning out backpacks if they attend any kind of co-op classes!) and deciding what to use. We
then sort everything into subjects, and either start the portfolio or return everything to the file bin
until spring. In essence, half of your work is now done, and it's a good day for the kids to see how
far they've come already in the year!

3. For those of you that like to scrapbook, I find that nothing is more "therapeutic" for me than portfolio
scrapbook days in the winter/spring. I try to find an evening or a free couple of hours to take a few
photos from the year and arrange them. My youngest also enjoys scrapbooking, and one year I used her
pages as the subject dividers for each section; this year, she has a whole scrapbook done from a class
she took to include with the portfolio! My oldest isn't as crafty, but considers my scrapbook pages in
her portfolio one of her greatest gifts each year. A couple of years she even requested a "theme" for
her portfolio, and either horse or Beatrix Potter characters were found throughout.

4. Don't forget the "required forms" section for your portfolio...this should include your log, your attendance,
reading lists, and any required testing/medical items for the year. I also include a page on field trips,
books used for planning, videos relevant to curriculum, and websites used in our school year.

Finally, if you can afford it, the plastic sheet covers will keep your portfolios protected for years to come. We actually have a whole shelf on one bookcase that has portfolios from years past (this year I think we start shelf number two!). Eventually, the girls will take these with them as they leave, but for now, we have wonderful memory books from the past five years to enjoy!

For any of you who NEED to submit portfolios, I hope this post gave you some pointers! ONE FINAL NOTE: IF YOU LIVE IN A HUGE SCHOOL DISTRICT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO JUST SUBMIT THE SMALLER REQUIRED ITEMS TO THE DISTRICT, SINCE THEY HAVE TO MANY TO LOOK THROUGH....BUT MAYBE KEEP THE REST AT HOME!

An update on my prayer request...

Thanks to all who sent personal emails of support on my father-in-law. His pacemaker was inserted today, and he is feeling remarkably better already. He is due to go home tomorrow if all goes well during the night. My Ape husband is going to take the girls up to see him tomorrow for the day; I, unfortuately, have a got a nasty cold and/or sinus infection, and will most likely stay home to go to the doctor instead.

Thank you, god, for your mercy and goodness!

Meandering Mondays.....and a new structural plan for my blog

I've been spending some time this weekend thinking about a way to increase my productivity on my blog....it really has become an avenue for self-expression, but I also want it to offer something to others who visit. My problem has been that many days I sit down and feel that I have nothing to write about. So over the weekend I've come up with a loose structural plan for the week, giving me a starting point for each day. Granted, I'll still throw in the more spontaneous posts, but hopefully this will at least make it easier to have something to say each day.

Meandering Mondays will, as the title say, just "go with the flow".....my plans for the week, or thoughts about something in the news, or wherever else my brain takes me (that might get scary sometimes!)

Teachable Tuesdays will deal with homeschooling issues.

What's Cookin? Wednesdays will include recipies and issues on home and family life

Thankful Thursdays will simply be a reflection on all I'm grateful for in my life

fine Arts Fridays will touch on my favorite subjects....that of music and art. I'll try to include some
activity ideas around various composers and artists as well

Scipture Saturday will just be a short reflection on a scripture passage that I've read during the week

and finally, Saints & Sacraments will round out my Sunday posts, putting the focus where it should be for me on Sundays.

I'm excited about alot of the changes in my life right now, and the future ahead....

Right now, I'm off to get some strawberries for the Storm Queen, and then we head off for a breakfast meeting on the new coop! Sure to be a great day!

A Prayer Request for all who visit

My father-in-law will be having a pacemaker put in tomorrow at some point. He's been having some heart trouble this past month (has had a heart condition for years) and the surgery had to be moved up due to some irregular heart activity. For all of you who visit, please keep him in your prayers. May God watch over him, the doctors, my mother-in-law, my husband, his siblings, and all the grandchildren......he is a much loved man by all!

One chapter ends, and another begins

Today was a big day for me, not just because it was out "official" last day of school, but because of a huge decision I've made in the past two weeks about my homeschooling vision for next year. For the past five years I've taught at a weekly learning center, and a couple of weeks back I was asked to join a few teachers that were leaving to begin a new coop in the surrounding area as a board member and teacher. After a lot of prayer, I truly felt that God was leading me in this new direction.

Tonight I sent my letter of resignation to the director, as well as a letter of explanation to all the families that I've worked with. I know that a few families will no doubt follow to the new place as it's closer to their home and a bit cheaper, but I will truly miss many of those families that I am leaving. In my heart I believe that the area is big enough to sustain several different groups, and that both will survive as homeschooling grows. However, I'm truly excited about this new venture! Our vision is much more of a CO-OP approach, where I think all will feel important and a part of its success. In the midst of lots of planning, I'm also realizing how much work I still have to do for the classes I'll be teaching. I'm glad school's out for a month and half!

I love being computer literate!

Well, I woke up at 4:00am again thanks to my little fur balls, and once again opted not to go back to sleep. It seems that from 4-6am I can almost always be guaranteed computer time! This morning I sat down to master a new task--that of learning to do labels with this new program I've got. After years of using Microsoft Office, we had this computer rebuilt and ended up with Evolution and Fedora as our stuff to work with. I STILL hope to have Office reinstalled, because I know it SO well, but today I at least know that once again I can figure things out after awhile!

I've been working on a new project that will be unveiled more next week, but it involved having to make some address labels. It took some searching to find the menu for it, but once I found it, I figured it out. I MIGHT even remember how for when I need to add to the database! :o)

Today we "officially" end the school year with our annual lunch out with Dad at a chinese buffet not far from his workplace. I'm already looking forward to my General Tso's chicken!

Today will be a busy day working on finishing up the portfolios. One is completely done, evaluation letter included, and ready to go to the school district office. The second one is just needing the completed reading/field trip/video lists, and then a last evaluation next week. I'm already looking at what needs to be done for next year, and the list is pretty long already! There are ALOT of things to do in the next month, and then my girls start up again in July. I've already told them MOM needs the computer alot in the coming weeks! They get to play awhile, but I crank into planning mode for June. (Don't worry, I find down time for reading books, too!)

Well, my Ape husband is moving about, so I'd best be off. This is HIS computer time before heading to work!

Another year over!

Today my daughters finished their current school year....YIPPEE!!!! As promised, we will have a lunch date with Dad on Friday to celebrate, and now they truly have time to fight over the computer for games and surfing. Of course, now that portfolios are just about complete, MOM has to start getting needed computer time for next year's planning sheets and a couple other big projects in the works. We may have to have a "sign up" schedule for computer time in the next couple of weeks!

I am not writing much this week, mostly due to getting portfolios finished up. However, there is another issue underneath that is taking alot of inner energy....I'll be free to share more in a few more days. Until then, there is sense of unrest, so I'm trying to keep busy with lots of little things. More upcoming!

As of now, I am the proud mother of a FIFTH grader and a (gasp!!) SOPHOMORE!!

Come, Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit, and renew the weary parts of my soul. Fire my life with Your love, and give me a renewed zeal to live as a witness of God to the world. Let my light shine so that others may see Your glory!


On this Feast of Pentecost, I'm saying a special prayer also for mothers, who so often are true bearers of the Holy Spirit within.....may the Spirit of God rest upon each of you and make your job as "mom" the most rewarding thing you'll ever do.

Because after all, it is.

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm live again.....take two!!

Once again, we've been out of touch with the real world due to computer problems for the past couple of weeks. Our new computer, with all the bells and whistles that we loved so much, had a hidden defect somewhere, so our "tech" support staff sent it back and the new one is on its way. In the mean time, they rebuilt one of our OLD computers so that we'll eventually have a second one. For now, I've finally gotten a QUICK turn to say I'm back among the blogosphere....although I'll still be pretty quiet in the coming week. I have report cards to get done for several of my high school classes, and portfolios to finish up, and some other MAJOR areas of change that are weighing heavily on my mind. By next week, the "fog" should clear some and I'll have more time to discuss all that's going on in our busy life.

Tonight I went as a chaperone with my daughter on her first semi-formal, and the kids all had a great time. The girls all looked so grown up and beautiful, and some of the boys had even donned tusedos for the occassion. It was a joy to be a part of the evening!

Right now, I'm off to bed!

It's good to be able to laugh at oneself!!

It's been a busy week, and I'm catching up after having been sick, so I'm late in posting this, but it was too funny not to share....

Last week we had our new computer delivered and set up -- it was built by
a student of minea and his dad, and they did a superb job -- and for several days there was minimal fighting in the house with the exception of "are you almost done?" or "Is it MY turn again yet?"....

Last Saturday I awoke to find that it had a message regarding an irregular reboot during the night; it also seemed to have a frozen mouse. I turned the computer off and back on in the back, only to find it totally dead. ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!! Not after just three days! As the Aurhoress and I were heading off to a college visit, my Ape husband made the "call", and my student and his dad came back Sunday to look at it.

I was at work, and got the phone call.....it went something like this:

"Honey, the computer is fixed. It seems that there is an on/off switch on the FRONT of the computer that we also had to turn on!"

Gee, I'm glad I was at work! There really IS a switch, but it looks a pretty blue light for those of us less talented in the hardware department! One of the things I've added to my "to do" list for the upcoming month is to pull out the manual and actually READ it!!

Yes, it's good to be able to laugh at oneself....especially when we really deserve it!

Back among the living!!!

Today was like Christmas at our house! Our computer quietly died in its sleep well over a week ago--luckily it was show week for me so I didn't have time to miss it too much--and today our new one arrived.

One of my students -- an incredibly gifted kid in technology -- and his dad built us a new one, and now in the wee hours of the morning I can get a quick post up. This new machine has so many bells and whistles that it will take weeks just to find them all!
They were also able to retrieve everything from the old hard drive, and took both old computers to rebuild one of them for a second computer station down the road.

Getting to know this family has been a joy; they are caring, intelligent people with similar interests and views on homeschooling. They have fast become special friends, and for that I am grateful.

for now, I am going to take my cough medicine and try to sleep. AFter weeks of running on adrenaline for the show, I came down with bronchitis within two days of it being over. Yesterday I headed to the doctor and got some cough medicine with codeine, and I've been able to sleep for up to 4-5 hours at a time now. I'm definitely on the mend!

No doubt that these are MY girls....

Overheard this evening, after the girls have been sharing a few jokes and tongue twisters:

Storm Queen: "Tell me another one!"

Authoress: "I can't remember anymore"

Storm Queen: "Tell me one, anyway."


Yup, those are my genes, they are.

Another Opening, Another Show....

Well, I've been a bit quiet these past few days getting all my thespian ducks in a row. The programs are now stapled and folded, the bins are packed with everything that's going from my house, and only 1-2 items remain on my "to do" list.....which this morning is a lovely abstract of pencil scribbles as I've crossed one thing after another off......it's show week! Yes, I'm tired, but the adrenaline will kick in at this point, and I just pray that my students have a good time with the production.

Today will be cast photos, which are a bit late; on the other hand, I've instructed them all to leave their costumes in the bins, so once back in the car, they will STAY there until Friday's dress rehearsal. I just have a couple more set items to put together, and then we're on.

It's been a harder year than most; between alot of sickness and some younger and inexperienced students with leads, it's been somewhat shaky some weeks. At the same time, my entire goal for this class is not the finished product so much as the process. I've been at a few high school/college productions this spring, and I realize that they have the same issues. In the end, theater to me is about using our God given talents to have fun. Granted, it's nice when the audience ALSO enjoys themselves, but in our small homeschool family, that's almost a given. Most of the audience will be family and friends, and some potential homeschoolers who may come to "check us out" as a future option. Overall, I am just so blessed to have the opportunity to work with such a great group of families.

This week will include a couple of days with a HEAVY academic focus here, as the past week or two have been far more independent work than I usually allow at home. I may even rethink next year's schedule to include a full week off before the show. At the same time, the girls are so close to being done with their needed assignments that alot of what's left is busy work, so a light week with more independent projects is probably the better choice.

After the show we have evaluations, field trips, and a couple of final chapters in math/science/history to get through....but all the big stuff is done, corrected, and in the portfolio already for the Authoress (her evaluation is next week!). The only other "big" thing still upcoming is our chorus concert -- but THAT group is sounding phenomenal already!

This weekend we went down to a nearby college campus that the Authoress is looking at for down the road. It was their spring musical, and we thought we'd go see what kind of program they run. It was a delightful show with a small but talented cast. I was pleased to see that even a few of the leads were not "exceptional", but had talent. I think the Authoress would have a great time...she was all excited because the romantic leads actually KISSED on stage!! (And then I remember how much she still has to learn in three years!)

At one point before the show we were sitting in the lobby just watching, and she looked so apprehensive. My eyes caughts hers, and she said, "Mommy, I feel sort of intimidated". Yup, me too. We both are realizing that these last couple of years are going to fly by, and the idea of her leaving the nest to spread her wings is scary for both of us right now. That scared-excited-nervous-reluctant-hopeful feeling all rolled into one....sort of like the feeling just before heading out onstage. It just lasts longer!!

Sometimes it really does pay off to try something again...

My daughters are off finishing up their Stanford testing, and my husband just went to work after taking the morning off for some quiet time together, so I have a half hour before leaving to get them.

I just made a HUGE discovery, which will save me hours of time and energy....all because of a little voice that said, "try it ONE more time THIS way..." As most of my small blog audience knows, I have my musical next week, and one of the biggest challenges of the show was to put together my puzzle pieces. I came up with the vision early on, and designed a SIMPLE ocean view puzzle using light foam pieces that were easy to cut and put together. They also allowed the girls who played my puzzle pieces to have several attached to them while bumping into each other, WITHOUT having the pieces crack or break.

Our challenge was to figure out the best way to attach them to their clothes. We've been using duct/masking tape for rehearsals, which has been a VERY comical experience in what DOESN'T work.....and while my vision had been to use velcro, it was pointed out that the bond with the velcro may be stronger than the foam, causing it to rip. I tried it at home and found that to be the case. My wonderful costume lady then suggested backing each piece with postertboard and felt to give a stronger bond, and she even offered to sew them up. Unfortunately, HER experiment proved that foam will rip if you try to sew other things to it.

Today was the day I set aside to finally tackle this problem; armed with posterboard and some felt, I was going to hand sew pieces on to try and solve the problem. However, in looking at the velcro box that I had tried earlier, I noticed that it was "industrial strength" velcro......"hmmmmm", I thought, "perhaps a weaker velcro might work". As a child runs to a hung up stocking on Christmas morning, I raced to find my "regular" velcro and grabbed an old undershirt of my daughters to try ONE more time. This velcro was even better than before in that it's a sticky back, so I just cut a few pieces and attached them. And then came the TEST. For about five minutes, I yanked that piece of foam off that undershirt as hard as I could from every angle I could imagine, and IT WORKS!!!! No tears, no rips....just alot of noise (that will probably come through the mics just wonderfully!!). The hours of work that I've just saved myself have catapulted me into my final "adrenaline" mode for the show -- a few days early!! I am now so excited to realize that this last "big" job has now been cut into about a quarter of the time that I thought it would take has me dancing around the house!

For a small moment in time, I can understand how Edison felt when that light finally went on!! TOY CAMP, here we come!

We'll need another bookshelf soon!

Last night I worked on the Authoress' portfolio, and aside from a few photos and final assignments, it's about ready to go to her evaluator in mid-April. She sat down and went through it all last night, and then the Storm Queen had to do the same. (I've started hers, but have until mid-May, so I won't touch it again until after the show!)

What I expect to happen in the next couple of days, if experience repeats itself, is that they will now pull each of their old portfolios off the shelf to reminisce about the past five years of homeschooling. I love listening to them share stories or remember certain projects or awards from past years.....it's also a really good permanent log of what they've accomplished over time. Now that Storm Queen will be finishing up her 4th grade, next year we'll be starting off where I began with the Authoress five years ago. I've already looked through her fifth grade portfolio to get some ideas for next year's planning!

This is one aspect of PA homeschooling I'm grateful for....while many states do not require the portfolio, I'm all for the accountability of it. Moreso, however, I scrapbook lots of photos and other momentos from each year, so that the portfolio becomes much more than a few samples, but a real book of memories for the years.

Of course, we MAY need another bookshelf before long!!!

And this is why we homeschool...

Aah, spring! Today was a glorious day of "flexible" homeschooling!! This morning we got a call from the Authoress' best friend, who is now home from 2 months of inpatient treatment for Anorexia; her mom (a dear friend) is away this week on business, so I told them to stay in touch. Well, she was really feeling like she wanted to get out of the house for a bit. As I hadn't really started any show tasks, and I saw the temperature already at 58, I quickly agreed. The Authoress almost jumped out of bed (gee, she doesn't do that for Algebra!), and we were out the door within a half hour with packed sandwiches and water bottles. We spent the next couple of hours at a local park; the older girls went off for a quiet walk to catch up, and the Storm Queen and I had a nice lunch together.....at one point, I leaned down and kissed her and said, "And this is why we homeschool!"

With only a few weeks left on our calendar, and a not REALLY long list of things left to do, it was a wonderful break in the routine. As so many kids are only able to dream about that 2:00 bell ringing, we spent the day outside in the glorious sunshine. Afterwards we headed to their house and the girls all watched a movie while I did some planning for my Literary Analysis class next year.

Tomorrow I'll get back to the show prep in earnest, tackling the puzzle pieces that still need final bonding and velcro attached....but all in all, it was a day to seize and treasure!!

Let the Countdown Begin!

Well, there are actually TWO countdowns that have begun at our place. The first is more mine, as we are now in the final three weeks before the show. My energy level has spiked, knowing that from here on it's adrenaline that really gets me moving. Yesterday I finished the box for "Jackie"-in-the-Box, using pieces of foam board, decorative paper, and (my favorite!), duct tape! Inside are handles for her to carry it with, the back is cut out for easy entry/exit, and a handle is sticking out the side for someone to wind. All in all, it came out quite nice! My BIGGEST challenge was trying to get it into the van! I ended up having to remove the back, which allowed a slight folding of the sides, and with the back seat down, it slides up and over and just fits, leaving plenty of room for the bin with other costumes and the cardboard toy blocks. For now, our van has been reduced to a 4-passenger vehicle!
Today I tackle the remaining tasks for the puzzles pieces, which will be a two day project I'm sure. There are just a few odds & ends left at this point, and my "TO DO" is filled with lots of things crossed out!!

The OTHER countdown is for the end of the school year, which on the calendar is seven weeks away. Counting in days for the show, upcoming Stanford testing, and a couple of field trips, the girls really only have about 23-24 days of "schooling" left....and spring fever is definitely calling them!! I always feel bad for the public school kids (and morese for the teachers!) who have to stay inside until the middle of June. I imagine that once this time of year hits, it must be SO hard to stay focussed for long periods of time in a classroom. While neither of my girls are the real outdoor type, this time of year calls to the Authoress to take almost daily walks again, and the younger to at least get outside for some sunshine.

In just a little over seven weeks, we'll be "officially" done, and then mom can really get some cleaning and de-cluttering done from the year behind us. We have a goal to paint the dining room over Labor Day weekend, and with a new computer in the works, we want to set up a second station in the dining room for word processing alone, so I have a LOT of work to do! Add to that planning for next year, and I see my summer schedule already taking shape....not to mention that we start again in July! Still, there will be those glorious days of not having anything I HAVE to do...at least for a few weeks!! Let the countdown begin!!