Trying To Catch Up...

Hi all...sorry...not so chatty lately.

My neice Samantha was here for a week. That was a great week, but busy. Computer went down. A couple of new parts and she runs like a dream. I've been back-to-school shopping. Today we were in Ottawa and I managed to get the kids Fall shoes and a few items of clothing. I wasn't very impressed with the styles at The Children's Place. Still need pants - not jeans - for Rai and a dress and pants - not jeans - for Kori too. Also got a new school shelf at Ikea. This week I was attending a scrapbook workshop in the evenings. All I can say is that I'm very thankful that I don't work part-time anymore. I thought it would be easier to leave the house now that the kids are older and everyone is fairly self-feeding...not so, my friend. Also I have been trying ot get this Home Schoolers Picnic off the ground. Looks like it might be only the regulars that attend...but not much I can do about that. But at least the word is beginning to get out there as it has been mentioned in the papers and Dad put a message up on the Midas reader board. lol

So, this is our last weekend of summer....Brian is officially back to a regular 5 day work week and bi-weekly pager duty. I am putting on my gloves in preparation for the Girl Guides battle that seems to be brewing. Hockey schedule in in...of course it conflicts with Kori's activities...so do I double up some evenings, or change Kori's nights and be out every night? Oh the decisions I am plagued with. Good thing I went to college.

New pics tomorrow. Meeting friends at SLP tomorrow. Sleeping in tomorrow. Taking out the air conditioner and cleaning the BBQ grill tomorrow. Loading the school shelf tomorrow. Ordering K's dresser tomorrow. May build Rai's dresser...but probably not tomorrow.

Taking A Minute

It's been a while since I've been able to sit down and update things. Sorry...although, I'm probably doing this for absolutely no reason at all since noone ever leaves me a message so how am I to know people check in and read my ramblings or not!?!?!!

So, short version....I've been Spring cleaning. Everything that doesn't belong, is too small, is not played with anymore has been moved to the basement. All I have left to organize/clean is the master bedroom and the basement. Hopefully I'll be able to get to the bulk of that work in the next few days. I got my first ever ticket last Sunday night. Turns out I didn't have to pay it, and we have to write a letter to Officer Rogers to remind him to actually read the statutes before he goes issuing tickets. He must have missed the part about 'only 2 lights on the front of the vehicle are required by law' Apparently my 5 out of 6 operating lights wasn't good enough for him. Retrieved Kori from the McCombs on Monday. She had a great weekend and was very tired when she got home. Had a nice lunch with friends on Wednesday. Today Kori had a haircut and we finished up all our library work in preparation for the celebratory Pizza Party tomorrow.

I am looking forward to a Scrapbooking afternoon on Saturday. The kids have a birthday party to go to on Saturday as well. Kori and I will get a batch of jam together on the weekend. Hopefully Strawberry and Peach...seperate jars though...!!

I have begun planning the Homeschooler's Picnic for the 6th of September. I'm kinda excited, but also freaked out. The lady who manages the email tree for area homeschoolers seems to be MIA. So I was only able to send the invitation out to those addresses I have...which is not by any means a lot of people...it's not even most of the people! We're planning on meeting for lunch at Noon, then havin ga scavenger hunt for the kids before trooping off to the beach. Then ending at the little kid's playground...beside which is a lovely green space for field games that the bigger kids will enjoy. I have bounced my ideas off a few of the ladies who have been attending our Coffee nights and they sound excited. A few have even stepped forward in order to help plan. In other home schooling news, I have been invited to speak to a parlimentry committee () regarding the concerns I have voiced over Bill 52. Of course all the meetings are taking place in the Toronto area, so I am considering a written submission.

Fall plans are coming together as far as a schedule for Home & School. I must remember to schedule Brian in or he may be left behind. I am not looking forward to him returning to work 5 days a week...It is so nice and relaxed when he is on for 4 and off for 3. We're going to try a four day school week. Monday (Science), Tuesday(History/Geography), Thursday(Music) and Friday(French?). Wednesday will be our 'out' day for errands and groceries and such. I'd like to sit with the kids each month (week?) and have then help to plan our schedule. I'd like to be able to have them put up things on the calender so we remember to do the things that are often pushed aside due to 'running out of time'. Things like a hike, a day to go through their monthly magazine, Board Game Night, Family Swim, letter writing day (that ought to be popular!), baking day, etc. Of course, every school day they should be doing their Math, Reading, Writing and Character/Values type of things. Apparently I'm becoming more organized (it's certainly not second nature and I'm fighting every minute of it...Brian's helping me cope) so I suppose I'll throw in Family Meetings (which we sort of alread have on 'allowance' days) and a 'Prep' day so I can do the calender and plan some lessons.

The only thing I haven't figured out is where I'm supposed to get the energy to pull it all off on a regular basis. Because of course, in theory, it sounds good. However, practically, it all goes down the drain after the kids have spent the majority of the time dragging their feet to see if I'm serious or not. Like today. But that's a post for tomorrow when (hopefully) I have a better perspective.

Cheers!

Good Thing I'm Sitting Down!!!

Ho-ly!!! Just called the local YMCA to inquire about swimming lessons for Kori before the summer is out. Lessons are full. The lovely lady on the phone reminded me that come Sept. 1/06, swimming lessons are free, year-round when you have a membership. So, conversation continues and I learn that currently, a child's membership costs $186/yr. As of Sept. 1/06, the cost will be $278.37/yr!!! I was trying to finagle $186! Cripes! I was expecting an increase...just not that much of an increase. So now instead of 'perhaps, trying to come up with membership money before September' we're at 'if I want a membership I better find the money by September'!

Perhpas the kids and I will roll coins for this afternoons math work....

The President Has Gone Underground!

A really nice day...hot in the sun, nice breeze...cold whne you get out of the pool, yet you sure do dry off fast.

Again I must brag that I was up and going at 7am. A little sluggish after being up 'till 2am, however that's what I get for drinking coffee at 10pm. So, after showers and breakfast, I baked a No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake. Tell me that's not an oxymoron. I doubled the recipe and now I have a No-Bake Blueberry cheesecake in the freezer. Kids had to be cleaned this morning as well...I found last night's ice cream all over Raiden's neck. How does that happen when he eats it out of a bowl with a spoon?? The kids did a bit of work on their book reports, I made Bri's lunch and we were out the door - EARLY! - to our friends' for lunch and a swim. Home around 3:30, let the dog out, packed everyone up and we were off to the Blood Donor Clinic. Picked up Brian downtown and I'm ready to make a quick dinner for the kids. Lookie me go...being all productive and social.

Now, somewhere in there, insanity struck and I invited the kids' friend D. over. He's to arrive at 9am tomorrow. I wonder how long I can keep this whole 7am thing up? Apparently for another day as you cannot walk down the front hall without tripping on backpacks, the cooler and other various misplaced items.

I have officially entered into the Home Schooling Twilight Zone. It happens to many of us who try to follow a semi-structured approach. In Spring, we can often be heard to brag about how we are taking all of August to set up the school area, plan the lessons, get supplies, etc. Now, here it is August 9th and I have only a vague idea of a weekly schedule in mind. I have catalogues...somewhere...that I could look through. I could probably even find some money to order some stuff if I really looked. I really had better get on some of this stuff....I have been plagued with scary thoughts of scheduling not only the school work, but also my evening activities...'cause Christmas is coming, ornaments need to be finished, kids need sweaters and mitts for the Fall, my photos need to go into albums. Goodness. And I was hoping to take on a weeny amount of volunteer work this Fall. I would really LOVE to return to the riding stables. However, I could see that easily turning into a nightmare with the pager schedule, the kids and the fact that I'd have to go to North Augusta. So I can more realistically see doing some work for OFTP, or even more locally on the HSing front. Oh well...maybe I can reward myself with trying to work the stable thing after I've got all the other ducks in a row.

I am off to upload some photos...titles will come later...

Getting Ready For Back To School

'Tis the season. For Back to School, that is. So, to keep in the spirit of things, I have begun to prepare my arsenal of retorts for those wonderfully presumptuous comments we are sure to receive.

Top 10 answers you should give to the question "What?! No School Today?"*

10. Well normally yes, but this time of year I need help with the planting and plowing.

9. Goodness, no!!! I graduated 18 years ago, but thanks for the compliment!

8. No, we homeschool. We’re just out to pick up a bag of pork rinds and some Mountain Dew, then we gotta hurry home to catch our soaps.

7. What?! Where did you guys come from?! I thought I told you to stay at school! I’m sorry. This happens all the time. (sigh)

6. There isn’t? Why, you’d think we’d see more kids out then, don’t you?

5. We’re on a field trip studying human nature’s intrusive and assumptive tactics of displaying ignorance and implied superiority. Thanks for the peek!

4. On our planet we have different methods of education. (Shhh! No, I didn’t give it away… keep your antennae down!)

3. Oh my goodness! I thought that today was Saturday…come on kids, hurry!

2. Noooooope.Me ‘n Bubba jes’ learns ‘em at home. Werks reel good!
And the number one answer we should NEVER give to the question: “What? No school today?”

1. “What? No Bingo today?”

* Ok, so I took some poetic lisence with the original title of the article...it really read: Top 10 Answers You Should NEVER Give to the Question “What?! No School Today?”