tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64764861711885953942012-02-01T23:06:08.360-06:00I'm a wife, mother, stay-at-home mom, homeschooler, business owner, but most importantly I'm ME! This blog is about my always busy, never boring, sometimes hectic life.busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.comBlogger2981100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-16380677891283656532012-02-01T20:56:00.000-06:002012-02-01T20:56:15.625-06:00

*Note: This is not a comprehensive list. Black History Month/National African American History Month National Snack Food Month Responsible Pet Owner Month Creative Romance Month Holidays/Observances 1 Imbolc 2 Groundhog Day 13 - 21 Parentalia - Roman celebration of the dead practiced in ancient times, we're bringing it back (at least for our family) 14 Valentines Day 20 President's Day 22 Ash

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-59818168311902693892012-01-31T18:23:00.000-06:002012-01-31T18:23:11.360-06:00

Well, I think Jay is done with school for the week. He poked himself in the eye today, giving him a corneal abrasion. I figure an eye injury (fairly serious one at that) is reason to skip school the rest of the week. He has a gouge on his cornea, above the pupil. The dr. wants to see him again tomorrow, to make sure it's healing properly. He 's worried about scar tissue. Also, Jay was having

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-64448437470166375912012-01-30T23:58:00.001-06:002012-01-30T23:58:25.952-06:00

January's poet was Edward Lear. Aside from reading his works, we also spent some time learning about him. Edward Lear is largely considered the creator of the modern Limerick. I, personally, have loved limericks since I was first introduced to them, as a young girl. They are silly, irreverent, sometimes dirty, and always fun. Edward Lear was born May 12, 1812 and died in 1888, at age 76. He was

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-67466133403944551962012-01-30T23:52:00.001-06:002012-01-30T23:52:55.303-06:00

Apparently, many people put a lot of effort into choosing books for read-alouds. They compile lists of books they want to read aloud to their kids, revisit the same book again for younger children, research lists of good read-aloud books, etc. Some are very choosy about the level of read-aloud books. Some will only read books a few years above the child's reading level. Some choose only books

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-87808004815537627412012-01-29T15:46:00.002-06:002012-01-29T15:46:52.362-06:00

Jay: A Journey into Adaptation with Max Axiom Super Scientist Dea: Me: The Best of Ray Bradbury These were the last of the Graphic Novels that we had borrowed from the library. On our last library visit, we picked up some books for next month's genre: Action/Adventure. I definitely have a higher opinion of graphic novels than I did at the beginning of this month. Some of them were quite

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-610749151881885982012-01-28T09:00:00.000-06:002012-01-28T09:00:02.084-06:00

I will try to get on sometime this weekend to post about our week, but I'm not sure when I'll have the time. We'll be doing grocery shopping shortly, then taking the kids to their grandparents' house. They will be spending the night with their grandparents, so hubby & I can have an evening alone. You see, our wedding anniversary is this weekend. We can't afford anything big, to celebrate. So,

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-18182894112744509062012-01-22T10:19:00.000-06:002012-01-22T10:19:29.548-06:00

Ok, I'm a little late doing this post, I should have done it yesterday or Friday. I really just didn't have time, though. Friday, after we finished school, we went to the library. Unfortunately, the library was closed. It was snowing & the city hadn't plowed, yet. It took over an hour to get there & back. by the time we got home it was dinner time. Then we had some family time, and then I read

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-83678067678668309562012-01-21T09:49:00.001-06:002012-01-21T09:49:31.661-06:00

What Graphic Novels we've read this week: Jay: The Surprising World of Bacteria with Max Axiom Super Scientist The Solid Truth About States of Matter with Max Axiom Super Scientist A Refreshing Look at Renewable Energy with Max Axiom Super Scientist Journey Through the Digestive System with Max Axiom Super Scientist Lessons in Science Safety with Max Axiom Exploring Ecosystems with Max Axiom

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-90936051759240476982012-01-19T18:39:00.002-06:002012-01-19T18:39:33.085-06:00

Tonight, Jay told me he wants to be done studying Native Americans, at least for this year. So, we will finish making the teepee, skip the other activities we had planned, and start Vikings next week. It kind of sucks that we haven't (and won't) finished all of what I had planned, but I'm not going to force him to continue with it. We'll revisit the topic in future years. Since, we're done with

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-88011334896960013282012-01-19T14:24:00.002-06:002012-01-19T14:24:45.422-06:00

We got our puppy last year, I think it was October. Our neighbor asked us if we could take the puppy. Our neighbor's daughter had found puppy in her neighborhood. Apparently, puppy's original owners moved and left her. She has a useless front leg, due to an untreated broken elbow in the first month or two of her life. She had worms. Both of her back legs are bad, due to knee problems (both knees

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-2843945042764734762012-01-16T20:22:00.001-06:002012-01-16T20:22:41.727-06:00

These are some of our Christmas presents: To Dea, from us: To Jay, from us: To my hubby, from me: To me, from my hubby: The symbolic adoptions through WWF: Tub of Cubs: Pail of Primates: River Otter: Mexican Gray Wolf: Each of the kids got $50 worth of gift cards. This is what Jay got with his: This is what Dea got with hers: We got Christmas

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-53841158839500908162012-01-14T14:52:00.002-06:002012-01-14T14:52:46.465-06:00

We had errands to run yesterday, then spent the evening at my sister's house. So, Dea has not yet had the chance to bring me her work from this week. I'll have to post about her work later. I can post about Jay's week, though. Language Arts: Grammar: EG2 day 114 - 118; finished GT book & worksheet on proofreading (he's now completely done with GT) Writing: he chose the chapter topics for the

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-70330987402615105722012-01-14T12:47:00.000-06:002012-01-14T12:47:01.004-06:00

Since one of my fitness goals this month is 10,000 steps a day, I'm coming up with a list ways to get extra steps. So, here's what I've thought of so far: 1) Take the dog for more of her walks. Dea promised to take full responsibility when we agreed to keep the puppy. So, she does most of the walks. I generally just walk her in the middle of the night or early in morning, when Dea is sleeping. I

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-73301074383903405502012-01-13T09:43:00.001-06:002012-01-13T09:43:38.928-06:00

The Graphic Novels we've read this for our Exploring Genres Challenge: Jay: Rip M.D. Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery vol 5 Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery vol 2 A Crash Course in Forces and Motion with Max Axiom Super Scientist The Illuminating World of Light with Max Axiom Super Scientist The Metamorphosis Adventures in Sound with Max Axiom Super Scientist Understanding Global Warming with Max

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-66483377588700799332012-01-12T11:08:00.000-06:002012-01-12T11:08:08.000-06:00

I'll admit it, I've got a few pet peeves. Today I'm focused on the "Sneak it in" mentality. In case you aren't sure of what I'm talking about, the "Sneak it in" mentality is the "It's good for them, but they don't like it. So, I'll sneak it in, so they still get what they need, but don't know it" mentality. It usually deals with food. You know the deal. Little Johnny doesn't like carrots. Mom

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-53081019504994334962012-01-08T17:23:00.000-06:002012-01-08T17:23:13.544-06:00

Some pics from our hike today:

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-8419501801362608242012-01-07T12:54:00.001-06:002012-01-11T11:45:29.188-06:00

Well, this was week 1 of our experiment of giving Dea control over her schooling. She bombed, big time! She is required to do 4 lessons of Math each week. She did 1. She did no work for her online Writing course. She had a total of of 2 1/2 pages of notes for Science & History (she claims she had more, but can't find them). She claims she did Grammar, but can't find that, either. She did ASL

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-28753688898552643612012-01-06T14:08:00.000-06:002012-01-06T14:08:06.857-06:00

January's genre: Graphic Novels Here is what we have read, so far this week, for our Exploring Genres Challenge: Jay: The Earth Shaking Facts About Earthquakes with Max Axiom Super Scientist The Attractive Story of Magnetism with Max Axiom Super Scientist Understanding Viruses with Max Axiom Super Scientist The Shocking World of Electricity with Max Axiom Super Scientist The World of Food Chains

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-43371008946835258062012-01-04T12:56:00.000-06:002012-01-05T09:11:08.674-06:00

You have to love a Science topic that lets you throw paper airplanes and count it as schoolwork. Here's a rundown of our Science of Flight study: DVDs/Netflix: History's Mysteries: The Wright Brothers Controversy The Magic of Flight: IMAX Bill Nye Gravity Bill Nye Friction Bill Nye Physics MSB Super Sports Fun MSB Gains Weight MSB Goes on Air MSB Taking Flight MSB Ups & Downs Wright Brothers'

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-3162442623883209892012-01-04T09:54:00.001-06:002012-01-04T09:54:57.882-06:00

I started a huge purge, way back in November. I was hoping to finish it before 2011 ended. Alas, that did not happen. I'm still working on it, though, and we are ever closer to being done. This morning, we worked on purging the kitchen. Things were added to the donation box. Some were thrown in recycling or garbage. The final result is that cabinets are emptier. There is less clutter. The

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-26950072605070210192012-01-01T17:41:00.000-06:002012-01-01T17:41:01.789-06:00

*Note: This is not a comprehensive list! Get Organized Month Hot Tea Month National Hobby Month Holidays & Observations: 1 New Year's Day 11 National Step in a Puddle & Splash Your Friend Day 13 Friday the 13th 16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day 18 Winne the Pooh Day 19 National Popcorn Day 23 Chinese New Year Phases of the Moon; 1 First Quarter 9 Full Moon 16 Last Quarter 23 New Moon 31 First

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-70692501936911266972012-01-01T05:46:00.000-06:002012-01-01T05:46:14.434-06:00

It is officially January 1, 2012! It is the first day of our Exploring Genres challenge & our Poet of the Month challenge. Today, we start reading Graphic Novels. We will also be reading poetry by Edward Lear, aiming for at least one poem a day (not necessarily all by Lear). It is also the first day of my re-dedication to my fitness. I think I'm off to a pretty good start. I forced myself to

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-27902839682474484862011-12-31T05:58:00.000-06:002011-12-31T05:58:05.065-06:00

January 2012 is the first month in our reading challenge: Exploring Genres. The Featured Genre for the month is: Graphic Novels. I've never been a fan of comic books. I really don't have a lot of experience with them. When I was growing up, all the comic books that the boys were reading were super hero stuff - Superman, X-Men, Batman, etc. I was never really into the super hero thing. The girls

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-71952549243904438462011-12-28T06:25:00.001-06:002011-12-28T06:25:16.545-06:00

Next year is coming up very soon. I am trying to get myself mentally prepared for it. Since I will be rededicating myself to my fitness goals, I am working on forming the habits I'll need for that. I have been forming the habit of visiting SparkPeople everyday (even if I didn't workout), reading articles, tracking my liquid intake, etc. I'm working on setting aside a time of day just for

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-59583433515546222862011-12-27T14:11:00.001-06:002011-12-27T14:11:31.711-06:00

I really should be in the kitchen getting dishes done, to help catch up after the many that were dirtied for Christmas. However, I'm not spending my day standing in the kitchen doing dishes, or any other housework, for that matter. My back still hurts. Yes, it's been more than a week since I slipped on the ice, hurting my back. The Fibromyalgia isn't helping any. Plus, I keep doing things that

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-16085806801233388062011-12-26T23:04:00.000-06:002011-12-26T23:08:02.271-06:00

Here's a rundown of what we did for our December 2011 holidays . Advent Books the kids read: Holly, Reindeer, and Colored Lights The Story of the Christmas Symbols Las Posadas : an Hispanic Christmas celebration Read-Alouds: A child's Christmas in Wales Christmas in the big house, Christmas in the quarters The family under the

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-20221621154400016552011-12-23T05:13:00.000-06:002011-12-23T05:13:07.493-06:00

You know those times when something isn't going the way you need/want it to, so you decide just to start back at square 1? Well, I'm having one of those times. Ever since Jay was born, I've been battling with my weight. It has been very difficult because of my asthma and some other conditions I'm dealing with. I'm in pain, a lot of the time. Exercising make the pain worse most of the time. So, I

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-55126113192549567312011-12-15T11:06:00.003-06:002011-12-15T11:06:45.438-06:00

I know the week isn't over yet, but I'll do a recap of our week anyway. We've done most of what I had planned to do this week. Well, Jay has. Dea is still slacking a bit & I'm starting to get quite irritated. Anyway, here's what Jay has done. Math - He's right on track this week. He has done everything he needed to do, each day, without a fight. I think we'll change things up a bit in January,

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-18181811204926379452011-12-14T11:40:00.001-06:002011-12-14T11:44:08.726-06:00

I have already posted Thanksgiving Dinner part 1, which had all the dishes we had for Thanksgiving that did not require a recipe. This post will contain the foods that did require recipes. All the recipes that follow came from Spirit of the Harvest. We tweaked some of them. So, I'll put our changes/notes in red with the recipes. Some notes on this meal: Whenever oil was used, it was Sunflower

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-52354698410545444702011-12-11T23:46:00.001-06:002011-12-12T01:12:16.402-06:00

This is our last week before our 2 week Christmas break. It is going to be rather difficult to keep everyone focused.  They will both continue with some school work over the break. Dea will continue her Writing course, because it is online & they have their own schedule, and she'll continue her Algebra. Jay will continue Math, read every day, and we'll likely do some of the Science experiments &

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-9933484281432934332011-12-09T10:57:00.001-06:002011-12-09T14:22:18.433-06:00

In a previous post, I mentioned that our memories can be affected by several things. The associations a memory has have a large impact on how we remember something. In other words, the filing system your brain used when filing away a memory will determine how you view that memory. I recently re-read Eaters of the Dead. My original memory of this book was that I didn't like it. Ibn Fadlan's name

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-15810654745074476902011-12-05T09:37:00.000-06:002011-12-05T09:37:00.275-06:00

Now that I finally got Dea to enjoy poetry again (I accidentally killed her enjoyment of poetry by using a curriculum that teaches poetry forms & elements & was insanely boring) and Jay is also enjoying poetry, I thought it would be fun to do a poetry challenge. Each month, we'll have a featured poet. We will read poems  by that poet throughout the month. We are also aiming to read at least one

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-46609524023605722802011-12-04T13:49:00.001-06:002011-12-04T14:45:39.933-06:00

Dea has made huge improvements in taking responsibility for her school work. It also seems to have finally clicked that she has to do the work even if it isn't always fun. So, we have decided that we are going to try handing over the reins and letting her run with it. We're giving her a list of the courses that still need to be finished for graduation requirements. We're expecting a certain

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-59456424418412171422011-12-04T09:16:00.000-06:002011-12-04T09:16:00.607-06:00

The kids and I have decided to do a reading challenge in 2012. Each month, we will have a featured genre. Each of us will read at least one book from the featured genre each month. We will not restrict our reading only to the featured genre, because the point of this is to make sure we're reading a variety of genres. I know there are some genres my kids have never really explored or have never

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-54635546271558580702011-12-03T23:44:00.001-06:002011-12-04T00:27:51.748-06:00

Readers fall into two main categories - those who read books once and those who will re-read books. I fall into the latter group. I re-read books, and I do it for multiple reasons. Sometimes, it's because I enjoyed the book so much the first time. Sometimes, it's because someone else is reading and I want to be able to discuss it with them, but may not remember much. Other times, it's because I

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-20486412796849036042011-12-01T14:44:00.001-06:002011-12-01T17:04:27.229-06:00

There has been some interest expressed in the recipes for our Thanksgiving menu. I was hoping to have time to sit & type them all out and add all the pics. However, with Jay being sick, the puppy recovering from surgery, the house a disaster, the ongoing purging, the Advent tree activities, etc., I'm not finding that kind of time. So, I figure I'll try to do it in multiple posts instead. I'll

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-70671310511419534822011-12-01T12:51:00.001-06:002011-12-01T13:18:48.802-06:00

We're doing all our Advent stuff - read-alouds, movies/shows, family activities. We've been good about choosing one every night. There are a few that have specific days or times for us to do them, but movies & books are great for during the week. We've really been enjoying it all so far. I don't know what our plans are for Christmas with anyone else. I don't know if we'll be going to the big

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-6077360447968059592011-11-29T08:15:00.001-06:002011-11-29T09:20:30.142-06:00

One of the great benefits of homeschooling is that you can tweak it to fit whatever is going on in your life. You can school in the evenings if you need to work in the mornings. You can do school on weekends instead of only Monday - Friday. You can do half of your school in the morning and the rest after dinner if that fits your schedule. You can schedule schoolwork around the seasons, doing more

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-31013512701215163992011-11-22T05:39:00.001-06:002011-11-22T05:53:10.023-06:00

Last week, Jay got no school work done. He hasn't been feeling well lately. He spent the week in my bed, reading and watching a few educational dvds. That is also what he did yesterday. Apparently, he's quite over this bug. He likely won't do any school this week. So, next week we'll start up again. Dea, didn't get all of her work done, either. She did some, but was not able to all of it. She is

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-4424212246235735472011-11-21T12:30:00.001-06:002011-11-21T13:44:18.565-06:00

Thanksgiving is later this week. I have finalized the menu (which I will post, with recipes, later) and bought the groceries. We have 2 Thanksgiving this year, one with family, one just the four of us. On Thursday, we have Thanksgiving with family. I am baking Banana Bread, Pumpkin Bread, and Apple Bread. I also plan to make homemade cinnamon butter to go with the bread. Friday will be our

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-15627111516168443462011-11-19T05:18:00.001-06:002011-11-19T05:26:12.228-06:00

I had completely forgotten about a conversation that Jay & I had some weeks back, in which we decided to drop the Terms for his school year. When Dea was younger, there were no time limitations on her studies. I planned out the work for the year, with an estimation of how long we'd spend on each, but it was all very flexible. I was still planning on being flexible with the time we spend on things

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-1445463709393801372011-11-16T21:53:00.001-06:002011-11-16T23:54:41.014-06:00

Being a Secular Homeschooler can be a bit tough sometimes. I know that many Secular Homeschoolers have issues with being in the minority, feeling left out & isolated. I really don't have a problem with that, since I have never fit in anyway & have always been in the minority. No, my problem is with finding the right curriculum. You see, sometimes the best curriculum, for a specific subject, is a

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-21076390754402596192011-11-15T23:52:00.001-06:002011-11-16T00:15:01.507-06:00

I am purging. By the end of the year, I hope to have completed a healthy purge, of many things, from my life. I am purging material possessions that are no longer needed or used. I am purging the many various subscriptions I signed up for, then forgot about, and have yet to unsubscribe from, that are cluttering up my inbox. I am purging online communities that I do not enjoy using & no longer

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-46803982484003778722011-11-15T03:12:00.000-06:002011-11-15T05:25:33.033-06:00

Don't you just hate it when someone takes offense to something you said, when you were not trying to be offensive? This happens to me quite often. I am a very opinionated person. I have my opinions of things, and they often differ from the opinions of everyone else around me (and often differ from the so-called 'experts' on the topic). I also have a tendency to get very passionate about things

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-85234212083538013412011-11-12T08:24:00.001-06:002011-11-12T08:55:54.207-06:00

Last week, Dea was on break between terms and I was sick most of the week. Jay got very little school done, since I was sick. This week, Dea started Grade 8 Term 2. Her courses this term: English - Still doing her online Writing course & will do another online Writing course when done with this one. Continuing with AAS to help with her mild Dyslexic symptoms. Continuing with Easy Grammar, since

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-8169223671888709982011-11-08T10:53:00.000-06:002011-11-10T16:19:33.057-06:00

I don't often talk about just how awesome my kids are. I really just don't feel comfortable doing it, because so many people have a negative reaction to it. I know that their reactions are their problem, not mine, but I don't want that negativity associated with my very positive moments. I choose not to do it that often, so I don't have to deal with those who are incapable of being happy for us.

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-61459351894849030882011-10-31T19:59:00.003-05:002011-10-31T19:59:57.939-05:00

We tend to eat a bit less healthy at Halloween. I'm big on balance and allowing anything we enjoy eating, as long as it's in moderation. Since we eat pretty healthy most days, I don't worry much if holidays have some less healthy foods. Here are the Halloween themed foods we've had this year: Bloody popcorn: None of us react to red food dye, so I mixed some into the butter before pouring it on

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-65691854244980983952011-10-24T02:04:00.000-05:002011-10-24T02:04:00.831-05:00

This one will probably be the easiest to write. My thoughts & feelings are pretty well set. This method works for some. If you are using it because it works, great. However, if you are using it because you truly feel that it is the only way to get a proper education or because you don't understand your many options, I suggest doing some research (with an open mind). Now, let me first lay out

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-62461513432669699292011-10-23T12:29:00.000-05:002011-10-23T12:29:02.019-05:00

Q. What do you get when you take a house full of people, with ages ranging from 7 to mid-thirties, and give them 18 rolls of Duct Tape? A. Purses, wallets, flowers, hats, bookmarks, cigarette cases, laptop bags, etc., etc., etc............. ............ and lots of fun!

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-6550785685753448512011-10-17T12:33:00.000-05:002011-10-17T12:33:00.298-05:00

There's actually quite a lot about Charlotte Mason Education that I like. It suggests short lessons for younger kids. It prefers living books over textbooks whenever possible. It expects foreign language to be taught. It does not rely on rote memorization. When done right, it can be a quite rigorous education. The Science seems to be mainly Nature Studies, in the younger years, but I think that

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-59247290121373518332011-10-11T19:01:00.000-05:002011-10-11T19:01:29.380-05:00

Yesterday, we went to the Apple Orchard. We started at the petting zoo: These goats are always in the corner. Last time, there was one standing with his nose pressed in the corner. We've decided that the goats must be naughty, as they always seem to be in time out... Here's the rather shaggy looking young cow: Most of the chickens: I think this chicken has a bit of an identity

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-9428735749910610592011-10-10T23:59:00.000-05:002011-10-10T23:59:21.702-05:00

We decided to try out Aleks, for Math. Really, the only reason we considered it was the fact that they were offering a 2 month free trial. 2 months seemed like a long enough time to really get a feel for how the kids like something and how well it works for them. I don't like short trials. My kids love something for the novelty of it, but that can wear off after a month or two. So, trials that

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-32461783141824800122011-10-10T17:53:00.000-05:002011-10-10T17:53:00.086-05:00

First, let me say that I have no doubts that Classical Education works for some. There are some aspects on which I agree with it, but also some I don't like. However, my biggest reason for not really ever considering this method is simply that it would never work for MY kids. What I like about it: I like that it expects foreign languages at a young age. I think that too many people wait until Jr

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-87064743525548683542011-10-07T00:28:00.000-05:002011-10-07T00:33:01.700-05:00

I am a huge fan of Halloween. It is, and always has been, my favorite holiday. I truly hate the way that society is trying to ruin my holiday. First, they stopped allowing students to wear their costumes to school. Then, they put in place these ridiculous time limits on Trick-or-Treating. Now, some places have put age limitations on Trick-or-Treating. Plus, many people don't even hand out candy

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-5921511960320054072011-10-06T14:43:00.001-05:002011-10-06T14:43:49.797-05:00

I haven't posted much on here about our schooling lately. So, I thought I'd do a quick update. Dea really doesn't like the program we're using for Writing. I bought it because it is thorough, step-by-step, and an intensive program. Writing is the area that she struggles with the most. So, I figured that something that is this thorough & step-by-step would be good for her. She really doesn't like

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-21388067239176156692011-10-03T10:10:00.000-05:002011-10-03T10:10:00.654-05:00

I'm rather undecided about Unschooling. On one hand, I think that Unschooling would have been a great option for me. Most of what I learned, during my childhood, was not learned in school. I think that, had people just provided the materials I wanted, made sure I had plenty of opportunities, and got out of my way, I would have recieved a much better education. On the other hand, I don't think

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-24887784656263690982011-10-02T02:41:00.001-05:002011-10-02T02:41:19.723-05:00

This is what our Autumn wreath looks like after this year's additions:

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-42315425720226512302011-10-02T00:06:00.000-05:002011-10-02T00:06:42.033-05:00

I have never been big on reading out loud. I have to slow down so much to read at a pace others can follow that it is just not an enjoyable experience for me. Despite my dislike of doing read-alouds, I've always made an effort to read to the kids. Jay did not like being read to when he was younger. He does enjoy it now, though. Since both kids are reading quite well independently, I would love to

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-47160019179669754202011-09-27T22:55:00.000-05:002011-09-27T22:55:19.147-05:00

This is Gypsy, our new rescue puppy. She was abandoned and has a bum leg.

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-88395463200836457982011-09-27T14:28:00.000-05:002011-10-02T00:25:31.271-05:00

This is a short list of the books that we plan to read in October. Obviously, some of these will be just me reading. Some will be read alouds, and others will be just the kids reading. This isn't a complete list of books we'll read, either. I purposefully only put a few on here so we have plenty of opportunity to choose new books we find at the library. Our library will have all the Halloween

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-24897789649293838752011-09-27T13:57:00.000-05:002011-10-29T19:23:07.299-05:00

Halloween is my favorite holiday. I tend to celebrate all month long. The month of October, for us, is always full of Halloween themed movies, horror/scary movies, decorating for Halloween, making Halloween decorations, reading Halloween themed books, etc. So, I've been working on a list of movies & shows for us to watch this October. I have it split into 2 parts right now - Kid Movies and Not

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-54060680218621892642011-09-25T09:09:00.000-05:002011-09-25T09:09:01.670-05:00

Ok, this is a huge pet peeve of mine. I hate when people say that their kid IS ADHD. NO!!!! Your child HAS ADHD. Why is this so freaking hard for people to understand? ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. When you say you child IS ADHD you are saying your child IS A DISORDER! Why would you do that?! What is so damn hard about using the word has. Every time I'm reading

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-64681897671295093342011-09-22T13:22:00.000-05:002011-09-22T13:22:00.561-05:00

We each have our own idea of what a good education is. We each have our own ideas about what are the 'core' subjects, and what makes up 'the basics' that every education should include. We each have our own idea of what makes an education 'well-rounded' and even about how important a 'well-rounded' education is. There is one thing, though, that is NOT a matter of opinion or open for debate, each

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-36532947385745351812011-09-18T12:06:00.004-05:002011-09-18T12:06:51.983-05:00

I love cookouts. It's so great to get friends and/or family together, have awesome food, and enjoy nice weather. Of course, I personally feel that Spring & Autumn are ideal times for cookouts. Winter is really just too cold, and Summer is too hot. When it's already 85*F and humid, I have no desire to sit by a fire. However, when it's about 55*F and there's a nice cool breeze, sitting around the

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-8313809273744453182011-09-15T14:17:00.001-05:002011-09-15T14:17:10.547-05:00

Have you ever noticed that I post about something around here changing an awful lot? Well, guess what? That's right! Things are about to change again. This time, it's not just school that's changing, though. My hubby's work schedule will be changing in a few weeks. He will be moving to a different shift. This will mean moving our big, hot, homemade family meal from dinner to lunch. That way, he

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-79446954307018508292011-09-11T16:14:00.002-05:002011-09-11T16:14:56.856-05:00

Since I just did a post about the not so happy moments of our life, I thought I'd do a post with pics of some of the happier moments we've had lately. These are pics of Jay playing lawn darts on Labor Day: This is the desk I posted about, that I finally claimed for me. It took about 4 days to get it from so piled with stuff you couldn't tell it was a desk to how it looks now.

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-52110848355158797402011-09-10T22:00:00.001-05:002011-09-10T22:00:02.137-05:00

Science for Jay's 2nd grade term 2 is Flight and forces & motion. We decided to do this during term 2 because it involves going outside to fly gliders & paper airplanes. That should be much easier to do in the breezy autumn weather than in the hot, humid summer. Jay is really enjoying this one already, and we haven't even done an activity yet.

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-18727839388296258042011-09-10T22:00:00.000-05:002011-09-10T22:00:02.784-05:00

Jay has started his 2nd term of 2nd grade. Our History focus this term is Native American History. He will be keeping a journal of his study. We will start in South America, then Mesoamerica, followed by the Southwest, the Great Basin, California, Plateau, Northwest Coast, Arctic, Subarctic, Plains, Eastern Woodlands, and ending with the Southeast. For each region, there will be more of a focus

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-73755544800012730602011-09-10T16:14:00.000-05:002011-09-10T16:14:57.954-05:00

There is a conversation on Secular Homeschool that has digressed a bit into the topic of blogging just the shiny, happy days vs blogging the days when you wish you had a batting cage in your back yard for stress relief. That conversation got me thinking about how often I post about the bad parts of our days. I know that I post about us not getting all our school work done, the many changes that

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-91059139127433414652011-09-08T10:39:00.000-05:002011-09-08T10:39:53.039-05:00

I didn't attend preschool. Instead, I attended college. My mom was taking college courses and she would take me with her. I remember sitting there, with a snack of dry Cheerios, taking in parts of the lectures while I drew pictures. Then, Kindergarten came. I went to the neighborhood school, two or three blocks from our house. That was, well, rather pointless. Toward the end of the year, they

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-73301087760178541702011-09-04T20:15:00.000-05:002011-09-04T20:15:21.751-05:00

Last week was Jay's first week of term 2. His History topic for this term is Native Americans. Over his break, he finished his Native American flute. Last week, he decorated it and started learning to play. We were also going to make a Dreamcatcher, but I had a headache that day, so it didn't get done. We decided to make it today. I had to help him with it, because buckskin lacing and artificial

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-34968050584823784092011-09-01T22:28:00.004-05:002011-09-01T22:29:00.970-05:00

When I was planning Jay's Science last year, 1st grade, I thought it would be fun to do Magic School Bus based Science. So, I connected the topics for 1st - 3rd grade Science with Magic School Bus kits, books, and episodes. We, of course, add in plenty of materials that are not related to Magic School Bus but are related to the topic. It has been fun. Magic School Bus has always been a show we

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-83972029543709078102011-09-01T11:50:00.001-05:002011-09-01T21:41:29.481-05:00

Last year, for 1st grade, our Language Arts focus was on reading. I wanted to make sure that Jay had a firm foundation for reading. We didn't do anything formal for Grammar, Spelling, or Writing. He did get Spelling and penmanship practice with the writing required in Explode the Code, which was good considering the ETC series was just review for him. We knew there was a large possibility of him

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-30336175698364732802011-08-25T18:57:00.000-05:002011-08-25T18:57:28.609-05:00

The Native American flute Jay stained. He'll decorate it next week & start learning to play. The jewelry box Dea assembled & stained The InstaSnow, jiggly marbles, and gel crystals we played with last week

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-87650200141955727272011-08-23T21:22:00.000-05:002011-08-23T21:22:34.046-05:00

Term 2 of Jay's 2nd grade starts next Monday. He's is currently on his break between terms. He's enjoying his break, but is really looking forward to the new term starting. The break has been, well......, interesting. Dea fell, strained her back, and bruised her tailbone. Jay came down with a cold. Then, I got Jay's cold. Eventually, Dea got the cold, too. The kids are on the mend, but this cold

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-16446008203217950522011-08-11T12:09:00.000-05:002011-08-11T12:09:34.948-05:00

Now that our study of Ancient China has come to an end, I thought I'd post the resources we used & activities we did. We did very little hands-on work with this study. Normally we do a lot more, but he just wasn't that into this topic. Hopefully, this will help those looking for ideas or resources. Here's our 2nd grade study of Ancient China (we did branch out to other ancient Asian cutlures as

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-22305667940517406912011-08-11T12:08:00.000-05:002011-08-11T12:08:38.301-05:00

Now that we're done with our study of Astronomy, I thought I'd post all the resources we used and activities we did. Hopefully, this will help others who are looking for resources or ideas. So, here's what we used for our 2nd grade Astronomy study: Magic School bus website Astronomy for Kids website NASA website StarChild website Space: The Secret History (DVD) Space Station: IMAX (DVD) Space

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-53214356982080679912011-08-11T12:07:00.000-05:002011-08-11T12:07:42.236-05:00

We have just finished Term 1 of Grade 2. Term 1 was May 2, 2011 - August 12, 2011 (he just finished doing tomorrow's work so he could start his break early. I think this is partly due to his sister being injured & off school). So, I thought I'd do a quick recap of what we did during the Term. Language Arts: Easy Grammar Grade 2 - Day 1 - Day 60, we had originally planned to do through 75, but

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-16281269224246753112011-08-11T06:05:00.000-05:002011-08-11T06:05:22.581-05:00

We decided not to do a model of the Great Wall of China, but instead a picture. So, here is The Great Wall of China in charcoal by my 7 year old son: This next one has the one my son did on top & one I did on the bottom (not my best work, I just wanted to show him what to do).

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-12298877833462894432011-08-08T06:55:00.000-05:002011-08-08T06:55:50.022-05:00

Today is the first day of what should be the last week of Jay's 2nd grade Term 1. We slacked a few days last week, due to excruciating pain in my back & neck and the headaches the pain has been causing. We're hoping to be able to finish off the work this week, but may need ot extend into next week a little. Mainly, we need to finish off our studies for Science & History - the last few books to

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-50623317483790798422011-07-26T14:37:00.000-05:002011-07-26T14:37:30.049-05:00

So far the levels of Easy Grammar that we have used/are using are 2nd Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, & 10th Grade. I have to say that I really like Easy Grammar. Each level is split into 180 daily lessons. The lessons are short and sweet, which is great for us. They cover capitalization, punctuation, parts of speech, clauses, phrases, etc. At Grade 2 level, there are 4 concepts covered in each

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-34668553913122781022011-07-24T15:47:00.000-05:002011-07-24T15:47:07.149-05:00

We used to do our shopping at the Hilander nearest our house. Earlier this year, we started shopping at Logli, because I went into coughing fits every time we were at our usual store. Well, Logli's meat selection isn't as good as Hilander (and it's more expensive). So, we tried the Hilander again, and I seemed fine. We figured we'd do our main shopping at hilander & go to Logli for the few things

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-72582039224805814932011-07-20T21:45:00.000-05:002011-07-20T21:45:04.555-05:00

The kids slept downstairs last night because it was just too hot upstairs. When they got up this morning, they got themselves breakfast. Then, I let them play until 9am. At 9am, Jay decided to do his hour of reading. He finished Gregor the Overlander last night, and started a Goosebumps this morning. While he read, Dea & I did English. This is her first week of 8th grade. She has opted for doing

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-84071928156630515772011-07-15T05:52:00.000-05:002011-07-15T05:52:10.894-05:00

Tomorrow, I go pick up Dea from my grandpa's house. On Monday, she starts 8th grade. We have finally figured out how her year will go. So, here's the plan: Term 1 July 18 - Oct 28 Math: LOF Adv. Alg. Latin: Oxford Latin Course English: most of English will be in T2, but she'll be doing writing throughout the whole year, literature throughout the year, and has the option to do grammar

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-9144917646873611802011-07-13T13:06:00.000-05:002011-07-13T13:06:22.143-05:00

Ok, so I tried doing daily posts about what we do, but it was too much time each day. I also tried doing a post each week covering what we did for school all week, but oftern forget. So, now I'm thinking about doing a 'Day in the life' post once a week, that would show we do that day, and a still attempting a weekly 'Our Week' post. This isn't a 'Day in the Life' post, though. It's just goning

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-69184995734787174442011-07-13T11:40:00.000-05:002011-07-13T11:40:45.472-05:00

We have decided to make a small change to Jay's 2nd Grade year. We were going to study Vikings in Term 2 and Native American history & culture in Term 3. We have decided to switch those. We will now be studying Native Americans in Term 2 and Vikings in Term 3. The main reason for this change, is Thanksgiving. We decide to use only foods available to the Native Americans (before the Europeans) to

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-11998179717494270512011-07-11T09:35:00.000-05:002011-07-11T09:35:17.528-05:00

Since I still had a headache for most of Friday, we didn't do any bookwork. We watched some of the shows I'd found for Jay's Science & History studies and some Mythbusters. Jay read some of the library books we've got out for school & started a new Goosebumps book (he just finished reading Found). Then, he spent some time on the computer. Friday evening we went to Movies in the Park and watched

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-25026759042993486212011-07-08T06:37:00.000-05:002011-07-08T06:37:06.765-05:00

Yesterday, we went to a Big Band Jazz concert. I think that Dea would really have enjoyed it, but she's still at my grandpa's. Jay did enjoy it, but he was hungry (half our dinner got ruined). He complained several times about being hungry, which irritated hubby (and to a lesser extent, me). So, it wasn't as enjoyable as it could have been (though, we still had a good time). We've decided to stop

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-28384508691103096402011-07-06T00:40:00.000-05:002011-07-06T00:40:36.985-05:00

In my opinion, too many people underestimate what children & adolescents are capable of. Among these are those who claim that children are not ready for formal school work until 8 or later, those who don't believe someone capable of making decisions regarding their own future at age 16, and those who believe children incapable of choosing their own religious path. I have been criticized for

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-36529388982294777512011-07-05T00:06:00.000-05:002011-07-05T00:06:35.288-05:00

Dea finished 7th grade last week! This week & next week, she is on her break. The plan was for her to spend her break at the lake with her grandma. Things changed, and she is now spending her break at her great-grandpa's, helping take care of him (he has not been well lately). Jay will still be doing school this week & next. I'm actually kind of expecting us to get a lot of his work done over

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-86218114233739099232011-07-02T17:35:00.000-05:002011-07-02T17:35:31.070-05:00

We eat a healthy diet, not uber-healthy completely devoid of all unhealthy foods, but still pretty damn healthy. In my opinion, life is simply too short to refuse yourself the pleasure of a food you love, even if it isn't a 'healthy' food. Food doesn't just feed your body, it also feeds your soul. Cooking isn't just about preparing nutritious food, it's an art. So, I will not cut out any food

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-87257151757077071962011-06-27T18:47:00.000-05:002011-06-27T18:47:09.555-05:00

 Beautiful sky: Silly kitty:

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-65224476586884928212011-06-27T17:22:00.000-05:002011-06-27T17:22:08.644-05:00

Wow! Has it really been almost a week since I last blogged? My hubby had last week off work. He spent most of it in the garage with my sister's boyfriend/fiance, working on the car that hasn't worked since we got it. The kids and I got some school done, but not as much as usual. Dea handed in one of her two remaining essays. It isn't perfect, but is a huge improvement over previous essays. So,

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-64872198709476530272011-06-21T15:39:00.001-05:002011-06-21T15:44:57.931-05:00

Father's Day was this last weekend. We had a cookout with my sis, her fiance, and a few of their kids. The guys spent most of the day pulling an engine out of a car. My hubby is off work this week. He is spending the week fixing a car (the one he took the engine out of). We still have family members in the hospital, and some aren't doing real well. Dea has been dealing with girl friend drama.

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-84200027667663252312011-06-17T13:25:00.000-05:002011-06-17T13:25:57.510-05:00

I think I'm about done with the internet for today. My toolbar is missing, Facebook is slow, Blogger still won't let me comment as me (on my own blog), I can't access the CP to MY website, and when trying to visit MY website I get a broken link error message. So, since it's all being so annoying, I think I'm staying off the computer for the rest of the day.

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-87418853978056505022011-06-15T23:38:00.000-05:002011-06-15T23:38:34.916-05:00

So, last weekend I had planned to go to Ohio. My husband & my sister's fiance were asked to go out there to work on my stepmom's car. My sis and I were going to go with them. Well, Jay wasn't doing so great last week (and to be honest I wasn't feeling so hot by Friday morning, either), so I stayed home with him while everyone else went to the Lake. We watched more tv than usual, with us both

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-35846862571521144282011-06-06T13:50:00.000-05:002011-06-06T13:50:27.776-05:00

What do you get when you mix brats, italian sausage, hot dogs, really awesome burgers, corn on the cob, strawberry & blueberry shortcake, 12 2-liters of diet soda, 9 packages of Mentos, rock salt, and some water balloons? You get one really great cookout! Yesterday, my sis, her fiance, and a few of their kids came over for a cookout & for Diet Coke & Mentos Day. We set off a dozen 2-liters of

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-70798962282433306712011-06-06T12:48:00.000-05:002011-06-06T12:48:37.162-05:00

Ok, Dea was on a schedule to graduate at 16 & spend 2 years attending the local Community College part-time, doing volunteer work, and maybe get a job. It was what she wanted. So, today I was talking to her about it. I was getting concerned that the course load would be too much for her, since the courses tend to get more challenging & rigorous as you move to higher levels. It's not that I don't

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-82516904093172547042011-05-30T21:06:00.001-05:002011-05-30T21:13:36.239-05:00

Last weekend, we had thunderstorms and a tornado watch. I don't think it was ever upgraded to a warning, but the sirens sounded & we went to the basement. We've had storms on and off throughout the week. The thunder yesterday almost frightening. They weren't quick thunder claps, but really long and loud. They shook the whole house. The kids have been a bit worried about the storms. So, in an

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476486171188595394.post-28729120413174129762011-05-28T04:28:00.000-05:002011-05-28T04:28:43.553-05:00

For most of the week, I have been unable to log into Blogger, therefore unable to post. I'll catch you up on our week. It shouldn't be hard, we didn't do much this week. We hardly got any school done. Sleeping schedules have been off all week. Between bad storms, tornado watches, headaches, and Jay throwing up in the middle of the night, this week has not been good for sleep. Since we've been

busygoddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00668716172582805602noreply@blogger.com0