Friday Evening Post
So tonight we did an impromptu trip to Casa Bonita. Eric has a weakness for this place. It's this really kitchy Mexican food place--very 80's. Anyway, I sitting there eating my nacho salad when I realize there is a tag on the outside left side of my shirt. Hmm...oh crud! I was totally wearing my shirt wrong side out! LOL! I had two tags (side and back) hanging out and nobody told me! Taevy said she thought I knew. Just another one to go down in the great book of Anita's embarrassing moments. =-)
Speaking of salad... I'm REALLY trying to eat better lately. I am not a salad or vegetable person, but I am sick of gaining weight and feeling rotten. I figure if I just eat one salad a day instead of a meal I will be a little better off than I was before. So I spent time today thinking about this new resolution. Salad, salad, salad...what veggies can I try to put on my salad...what light dressings can I try, etc. Then I fell asleep...and dreamed about Long John Silver's fish and fries! LOL! You know you are an unwilling dieter when you consciously meditate on the goodness of salad and then fall asleep to think about the greasiest most wonderful fish and chips on the planet!
School at Home: I've discovered that I am NOT very popular with most homeschooling families for choosing to put our kids in the Oklahoma Virtual Academy (basically, public school at home). To some homsechooling families it's like a slap in the face. They are worried that families like ours are putting their homeschooling liberties of families like theirs in jeopardy. All I can say is, I'm an advocate for a parent's right to choose how their children are educated, whether that be public school, private school, public school at home, or traditional homeschooling.
All of our K12 stuff arrived at the door a few days ago. So exciting!!!!!!! There are some of the same programs as I would have chosen to use if I was putting together the curriculum (Handwriting Without Tears, Wordly Wise, etc.), and TONS of picture books and story books. We received (I'm estimating) over 100 books for each child. It was like Christmas looking through everything! Not only the books, but we got science experiment equipment like rocks and minerals set, beakers, balances, thermometers, etc., and math manipulatives (the little counting cubes and strips). It's really cool that all of this is free through our state. Taevy is just dieing to get into her stuff and start school. She begs everyday to PLEASE read her math book. She is such a school girl, and I love it.
I am getting more comfortable with the attendance and progress reporting of the Virtual Academy program. Over all, at this point, I think we made a good choice FOR OUR FAMILY.
CONGRATULATIONS to my sweet friend who got her I-600 approval today!!!! It was nice to get a big of good news after a week of adoption disappointments. Maybe next week will be our week?
Anita
4 comments:
I have to laugh...b/c all moms have btdt...
2 things that come to mind...
~I never wear white pants. Rarely ever. Before my weightloss surgery...never owned a pair. Few yrs ago my bff gave me a sweet lil pair of white pants. The 2nd time I wore them...they were inside out. Done the shirt thing inside out. Never done the pants. AND they were not knit material - figure that one out - I still can't.
~Last week while I was driving my summer school route I had a rather nasty 5th grade girl (trust me...she makes my blood boil) tell me in a very nice manner "U know ur shirt is on backwards?" I responded "how wud u know that?" She responded with "Because the tag is hanging out the front by your boobs." ROFL...not only was it inside out...it was backwards. I simply said "Thanks for letting me know it was dark when I got dressed I'm lucky I didn't put my husbands shirt on..." SHe laughed and got off the bus. She prolly thought Ii was just really stupid.
Our kids are like that when the new school stuff comes from UPS or Fed Ex. When the truck pulls in the driveway I hear shouts of "IS IT FROM RAINBOW RESOURCE???????????????" they can't wait to dig in and see what's new, or to see the younger sibs now moving up to books they had in years previous.
I LOVE Wordly Wise 3000 series; we have used it from the pre- 3000 days ("plain" Wordly Wise) and it is so beneficial. I didn't use the tests for quite a while , but made up my own (requiring the child to tell the meaning of the word and the part/s of speech ,and use it in a sentence. Last year I bought tests. The kids were disappointed at how easy they were after mine!!!
I think some home schoolers have discovered the freedoms from "the system" and value them so deeply that the idea of anyone else home schooling and not exercising ALL the possible freedoms kind of rattles them. However, sometimes freedom from "a system" can mean too little acountability, and that is worse than any allegation that someone else is " only copying public school at home" We try things, if they work we keep using them. if not the REAL freedom is that we can change our plan!!!!!
Your choice isn't one I'd have made, but I am not you and I don't live at your house. You aren't me teaching the tail end of English as a NEW first language to a room full of Khmer kiddos, the younger sister of one whom has been in America longer than her brother and who is at least that far ahead of him. I don't think a curriculum pre-designed could work for us. I know you'll be able to assess how well its working for you and go from there. It will be good!!!!!
Linda
starting home school year #17
I have a new perspective on weekends lately: they aren't so fun when you KNOW you won't be getting news from Ghana.... here comes Monday!
Just want you to know, that we are a homeschooling family (of 18 years) that absolutely supports each family's choice to school as they see fit. I'm glad you've found something you are excited about!
Laurel :)
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