Well, student teaching will wrap up next week and I could not be happier. I will miss the children I have worked with but I am so excited to get back to homeschooling with Joe. This semester has been rough on both of us. I have just missed spending time with him. He has been going through a mild depression…feeling sort of useless. Working at the bookstore has helped tremendously, thank you Sara!
He has been practicing the trombone a lot and is doing very well. We had our first rendition of Jingle Bells. There will be a flurry of activity the next two weeks and then Christmas preparations.
Speaking of Christmas, has anyone found a web site for the 12 Days of Christmas that gives activities for each day? I know someone posted it last year, but I can’t find it. Thanks!
Original post by siouxjoe
i ordered a purple nano, some purple earbuds and a purple case. but the case and earbuds are holding the order up so they won’t be shipped for a couple of weeks. which gives me time to change my mind…. heh heh.
Original post by morethanfine
i really like the domino’s pizza tracker. i don’t even like domino’s pizza that much, but my children do. i go there for the tracker. oops, gotta run - delivery expert charles is on the way!
Original post by morethanfine
this piece by john g miller is excellent! i got permission from him to post it - thanks, john! i highly recommend his books.
QBQ! QuickNotes™ may be forwarded by email to others or printed in their entirety with full credit given for personal and group use. © QBQ, Inc. 2008. All rights reserved.
What If Your Guy Loses?
By John G. Miller, author of QBQ! and Flipping the Switch.
(Complete contact info below)
Well, every four years in America we vote for the POTUS (President of the United States), and every four years on the day after there is weeping and gnashing of teeth by the losing side. And the truth is, the losing side is just about as large as the winning side. Amazingly, there could be 60 million people who vote for the ticket that does not win on November 4th, 2008. That’s a ton of people who’ll have a choice to […]
Original post by morethanfine
the wait was only about 30 minutes. i didn’t think that was bad, considering the line wound around inside and went out the door. the worst part was they were out of “i voted” stickers. i was bummed. my husband offered me his from a couple of days before but it’s not the same! maybe it’s true that the turnout is greater this year than it has been for decades… because they ran out of stickers. maybe i’m not so bummed if this means more people are taking the time to vote. i will be glad when this election is over, though!
Original post by morethanfine
yesterday we were driving home from running errands and my 5yo wanted to hear the new ac/dc cd. we were listening when the following conversation takes place behind me:
5yo: what song is this?
10yo: i think it’s “decibel.”
5yo: no, it’s “back in brown.”
(i’m working hard not to laugh out loud right now)
10yo: they wouldn’t make a song called “back in brown”! this is “decibel.”
me: i think they should make a song called “back in brown.”
i loved it!
Original post by morethanfine
yesterday we were driving home from running errands and my 5yo wanted to hear the new ac/dc cd. we were listening when the following conversation takes place behind me:
5yo: what song is this?
10yo: i think it’s “decibel.”
5yo: no, it’s “back in brown.”
(i’m working hard not to laugh out loud right now)
10yo: they wouldn’t make a song called “back in brown”! this is “decibel.”
me: i think they should make a song called “back in brown.”
i loved it!
Original post by morethanfine
also known as “something’s gotta give” and it just might be my sanity that goes. i am reading the book “crazymakers” and see so much of my dad and brother in it, and to some extent my mother. i don’t know how much longer i can stand my mom taking turns living with me and my brother. i know it sound really bad to say that but it’s true. she is pretty much back to being herself. the one that i can’t live with anymore - there’s a reason i moved out. but the thing is, my brother and i are all she’s got. thanks, dad. am i bitter? yes. yes, i am.
i am very attracted to the idea of moving to a remote island with just my husband and children and having no contact with other people for a couple of years.
Original post by morethanfine
the wasps. they keep getting in. i think through the chimney. this happens every fall but it seems worse this year. tis the season?
Original post by morethanfine
Hope everyone is having a fine Monday! Thus far we certainly are…it’s library day so Eric took all 3 wee ones there, to the Post office, the park and walmart.. and mommy got some much needed stuff done!
Since Noah is now back in public school I’ve been shifting the Academy around to reflect the fact we have all wee ones learning here now..fist step was creating these little caddy’s for the kids:
There is one for each with a variety of items depending on their age and likes. These are for them to use pretty much whenever they want and especailly to keep them happy while they may be done with their current lesson but I may be working with another kiddo. I plan to rotate out the items in here as needed and I also have a small envelope on the side where the kids can store the reward coupons […]
Original post by justakrazymom
and while there seems to be a “day” for everything, this one does mean something to me. i remember when my oldest (and then only) child was about one year old, my aunt told me i should have a half dozen because he was so cute. you know what? i did have a half dozen, but only got to keep four. not everyone knows and that’s okay. i know i’ll hold them in heaven and i look forward to it.
Original post by morethanfine
it’s part of growing up, learning to choose how we spend our time. my oldest is having to decide on a couple of things today and he’s not happy with me for making him choose… but i know it’s the right thing, i know he will grow from it. and i’m pretty sure he’ll blame me when he has to explain to people that he can’t do something. lol.
i’m trying to decide whether to buy a new mp3 player or not. i cleared off my old one and then when i went to put stuff on it i was told i was out of “sync rights”, so i guess the songs i bought i’ve lost? i don’t understand how this all works. i’m liking those new rainbow colors of ipod nanos but don’t know enough to decide if i want it yet. i heard that the zune requires you to […]
Original post by morethanfine
i think the catholics have a great sense of humor!
Original post by morethanfine
Today my friend Shauna,her daughter Brodi and I ( and about 300 others) built a Hayman for a local Art series. I must say it really wasn’t high on my list of things to do at 9:30 on a Saturday..but my MIL wanted us to do one for the Dance Studio..and I can’t say no to her.. so off I went. Well I had the best day.. took us about 4 hours from start to finish. Shauna and I already have next years planned out we had that much fun! I want to add this is all free and anyone,not just local businesses , could come and make one! You bring your one costume/theme stype stuff, but the hay and sticks are free!
Once the training was over we got a stack of sticks, all pre cut and drilled with wire and such, and we were told to have at it. […]
Original post by justakrazymom
the other day my 10yo started learning the intro to tom petty’s free fallin’. so we’ve been playing it in the car as we drive around our (what feels like) million miles a week. my 5yo is getting into it and is singing along with us. the chorus is the most fun because we sing it at the top of our lungs, as it should be.
but now i’m wondering about the vampires walkin’ through the valley moving west down ventura boulevard…
Original post by morethanfine
We let our Disney annual passes expire over a year and a half ago. My daughter and I have been going through withdrawl, and my husband is tired of being tolerant while we whine, “We want Disney!” So, I set a health goal for myself and, if met, we are getting those passes back and spending 2 glorious weeks immersed in the magic of The World.
2 glorious weeks, you ask? Oh yes. I love Disney for many reasons. But one of the biggest is because of how they handle my daughter. Yes, they are a huge mega-corporation. Yes, they own most of Orlando. Yes, they border on a dictatorship. But they care.
Is that possible? I didn’t think so until I experienced it myself.
Someone (a better writer than myself) recently wrote a piece that could have flowed from my own pen. (Except that I use a keyboard and much less […]
Original post by Carolyn ~ The Learning Nook
A couple of my buddies have asked to see our newly posted list of things to do. I’m happy to share. Please be mindful that my girls are eight and five, so this list reflects their interests. Our poster was made using a regular full-sized piece of white poster board, and the items listed were written in many colors with some “girly” decoration thrown in for good measure. Here is our list….
Dress Up
Read a Book
Draw
Dance
Write a Poem
Make Jewelry
Do a Worksheet
Play Dominoes
Play Store
Do a Puzzle
Write a Story
Paint
Play a Number Game
Clean Something
Cook or Bake (with Mom)
Play Hopscotch
Do a Workbook
Play Barbies
Color
Do Flashcards
Create with Clay
Make Up a Game
Google Something (with Mom)
Create a Show
Play Salon
Weave
Play a Board Game
Do a Unit (we have several unit studies ready to be used)
Play Pretend
Play on a Laptop (Leap Pads, Learning Computers)
Make a Craft
Play a Card Game
Listen to Music
Go Outside
Sew
Play a Computer Learning Game
Play Babies
Make a Castle (Blanket Fort)
Have […]
Original post by rae
Today has been one of those stupendous days in the life of a homeschooling family. It’s not that anything “big” happened. It is instead that so many beautiful, small things happened which worked together to create a great big fabulous day.
I have shared quite often the struggle I face in creating that delicate balance between the lovely vision I have of unschooling and the rigorous classical education that I wish for my children. I put my faith in the concept of classical unschooling and began moving in that direction - completely on faith. Today is the first time that I have felt deep down in my soul that our family could make this work. We have struggled. Today, though, the cloud of doubt lifted.
After doing some math work and a bit of reading on cheetahs this morning, C asked for a break. She went outside to explore for “just 30 minutes.” […]
Original post by rae
Say by John Mayer
Take all of your wasted honor
Every little past frustration
Take all of your so-called problems,
Better put ‘em in quotations
Say what you need to say
Walking like a one man army
Fighting with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you’d be better off instead,
If you could only . . .
Say what you need to say
Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You’d better know that in the end
Its better to say too much
Then never say what you need to say again
Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open
Say what you need to say
I’ve futzed with trying to embed this video for hours today. It is apparently just not happening. The words, though, are the most important part for me - even if I do miss that whiskey quality of John […]
Original post by rae
after my husband went out the door for work, he came back in to tell me something was wrong with the big freezer in the garage. i think one of my sons left the door open last night when putting away the ice cream. (we had darth malts from the star wars cookbook, lol).
the food was cool. meat was thawed so i’ve cooked the chicken that was in there. the rest is in the fridge waiting its turn today. i’ve got 14 burger patties and a turkey to cook (turkey is still partially frozen so maybe i’ll do it tomorrow). i did lose some things, but not a whole lot. the meat was the most dollars worth so if i can cook it and use it this week then it won’t be too painful.
now i’ve got to figure out if the freezer is okay because it was doing some weird […]
Original post by morethanfine
a cool, soaking rain all day…. yes! i hope it keeps up for a few days. this is good, very good.
Original post by morethanfine
i just heard on the radio that pudge is with the yankees - i had no idea! i listened to a small portion of last night’s game driving to and from the store. when i was heading out, the rangers were down 4-0 to the blue jays. then chris davis hit a 2 run homer and made it 4-2 by the time i got to the store. when i came out, the rangers were ahead 5-4 and proceeded to make it 8-4 by the time i arrived home. exciting baseball!
i don’t have cable or satellite so i was checking to see if the game will be on tv tonight and it looks like we should be able to pick it up. even though he’s not with the rangers, it will be good to see pudge again.
Original post by morethanfine
var flashObject = new FlashObject(”http://www.youtube.com/v/S0WXs3OZKsc”,”fm_S0WXs3OZKsc”,”425″,”350″,”6″,”",”",”",”",”");
flashObject.write(”fo_targ_S0WXs3OZKsc1758559655″);
i need a leaf blower today!
Original post by morethanfine
…they just had an earthquake. give me 105 any day!
Original post by morethanfine
my husband is flying to a place where the high will be 71 today, while ours is expected to be 105. my consolation is that he’ll be indoors working… but i’d sure love to stowaway and spend the day at the beach.
Original post by morethanfine
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