Recipe Organization

OH MY Heavens!! I LOVE the idea of...

laminating recipe cards. Right now, I have mine in a binder, but it's so big, that the weight of the pages pull open the metal rings. Also, pulling something out to work with is a pain (and I think it's a 4"!). I already have a printed comb binder cookbook of many of my recipes (I made one to give as inexpensive $4each? Christmas gifts). However, I keep adding to my recipes!! I think alphabetically, not main dish/appetizer ( I just think weird). Also, many of my recipes have variations that may turn it from a side dish into a main dish or from a dessert into a snack. I love the idea of printing & pasting onto index card (or printing onto cardstock & cutting up) and then laminating the tried and true ones (that I've already made my changes to).

I don't know when I'll have the time to do this....but it's a great solution for me!!!

Decimal Street

I got a comment (*I just LOVE those*) on my Learning Environment post asking for more pictures of the Math-U-See Decimal Street Extended that I showed. It's an extended version teaching place value to the trillions. In 3rd & 4th grades a few of my children have benefited from this, so I thought I would share...

Start with 2 file folders. They will be attached on the middle edge (I used packing tape) so that they accordian fold flat or spread out into 4 distinct "pages."




I then, cut out of construction paper 4 red hundreds' castles (NOT 400 castles / but 4 - castles that are for the MUS hundreds blocks) , 4 blue tens' houses and 4 green units' (ones) houses (one for each "page"). These aren't the normal width - I made mine 2" wide, but are the regular height to fit MUS blocks. I also cut a road out of black construction paper with a cul-de-sac at the beginning of the street (to remind you where you start counting).

The blacktop road looked boring, so I added yellow dashes in the middle of the street for color (it doesn't add anything for function).
The most important part of this are the lakes (in the shape of a comma) between the housing additions down Decimal Street. You'll need to cut 6 of these (I made mine in light blue for water) at the biggest width they are 2 1/2 " wide. 3 will go on the folds between the housing additions (where the commas go in a number to the trillions) and 3 will be the cards used to play Decimal Street.

I used tape that I doubled over to make it sticky on each side and taped each house and all 3 lakes in place.
Next I made the number cards. 0-9 in each color the same width as the houses.

If you want to label the 3 lakes that are playing cards now you can. (Don't put any numers or label the lakes that you've pasted onto Decimal Street) They are labeled :

• Lake Million
• Lake Billion
• Lake Trillion

Then I had all the cards, lakes, and Decimal Street itself laminated at the teacher store. That way they wouldn't rip up the road while they played with it. I had to bring it home and cut everything away from the plastic (and each other), but that was an evening's labor of love.

I put a zipper pouch that has adhesive on the back of my decimal street after it was laminated.

I got a SHMILY today!

On my bathroom mirror this morning was this.

I was considering yelling at the kids when Dave asked me if I saw the SHMILY he left me.

What's a SHMILY? See How Much I Love You

He had put all the kids to bed, which he does almost everynight (because I'm not a very nice person to them by that time of night.) But he had been particularly sweet and cuddled with them a long time - and they had needed it. Then he left me my love note - soap on the mirror in a SHMILY.

We asked him where he got it (it didn't occur to us at he'd thought it up himself.) He said Todd Wilson.

Todd Wilson, http://www.familymanweb.com, came to speak at our homeschool group and he was a RIOT!! I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe. He was FANTASTIC! He has a ministry which directly encourages homeschool dads. He has a few cartoon books...some great ideas...he's just a great guy with a great mission. Since Dave is my main encourager and go-to-guy, I appreciate someone out there encouraging my husband! Dave subscribes to Todd Wilson's e-magazine - I guess my SHMILY was part of that. Yesterday was a particularly rought day ...I needed it.

Newt News

Dd#2 got a fish tank for Christmas. Since Dave is a fish enthusiast (and gave a bunch of our family fish tanks for Christmas) he didn't want to give Dd#2 just a fish tank. She got one with a duel habitat of water in the bottom third and slate rock on suction cups above the water for amphibians with a waterfall (hiding the aerator, heater & filter) coming out from the top.

We were going to buy crickets at the pet store yesterday for Dd#2's Newts. Dave suggested we just catch & use those pesky carpenter ants. (I wish we didn't have ants...this is our first winter to have them and I have to wait until spring to make Dave rip up our house - literally, to find them.)

7:20 am this morning:

Ds#3 "I found an ant for her fishtank !!!!"

Ds#4 "I want to catch it!!"

Ds#3 "No, I'm going to catch it and give it to the newt."

Ds#4 "NO! It's my FRIEND!"

Dd#2 "Let me catch it!"

Ds#3 "No, I saw it first, I want to catch it."

Dd#2 "It's my fish tank."

Dd#1 - completely silent thinking they were all gross to be fighting over catching bugs *BLECH*

Ds#3 "I got it!"

Ds#4 "NO! It's my FRIEND!"

Dd#2 "Let ME put it in."

Ds#3 "I caught it!"

Ds#4 "NO! It's my FRIEND!"

Dd#2 "I feel sorry for it. Let's not let it die such a horrible death as DROWNING!"

Ds#4 "Yea! It's my FRIEND!"

Daddy "Mama's not going to let that ant live so it's going to die some death, it might as well feed your newt."

Ds#4 "NO! It's my FRIEND!"

Dd#2 "OK, let's watch it."

Ds#3 "I'll put it in."

Ds#4 "Let me see!" as a fish came by and gobbled it up.

Can I homeschool?

I am basically an unorganized person. I’m a perfectionist. I procrastinate. I dread failure, but have grown accustomed to it. Occasionally, I struggle with self-esteem. My kids drive my crazy. Often, money is tight. I work outside the home. I have an only child. I have a big family. We are having a baby. I have a disability. My child has a disability. We’re moving. We live way out in the country. I do, however, love my kids. I love my child. I love my kids.

I’ve heard it all. These and many more reasons people feel they can’t homeschool. Everyone who is homeschooling now, has asked themselves at one time, “Can I homeschool?” You may be asking yourself this same question. The short answer is, “yes, “ but let’s look into a little deeper than that.

Do you know any homeschoolers? Do you like them? If you don’t know any, meet some. If you’ve met some that don’t quite “fit” with your family’s priorities, meet some more. Finding other families you can identify with and seeing them homeschool successfully can go a long way in boosting your confidence. So many people homeschool for so many different reasons. It’s important to find homeschoolers who align with your family’s values.

Another confidence issue may be that you don’t have a teaching degree. Unless it’s required by your state laws, it isn’t necessary. That’s what Teacher’s Manuals are for – to help you teach the lesson. There are so many teaching aides available, too : CDs for foreign languages, DVDs of lessons, software of educational games, online classes…the list is endless. Take heart, help is available. You learned how to be a parent, you can learn this, too.

So, now you’ve met a few homeschoolers or maybe quite a few. You may have even made a friend or two. Next, you should look at what requirements are needed by your state law to homeschool. Don’t panic. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association runs a website, http://www.hslda.org , which has a plethora of information available at no cost on their website. Please don’t rely on what you may have been told by someone else. Check out their site and see what the legal requirements are for homeschooling in your state. Even if you’re in a state that has several requirements to homeschool, remember that there are quite a few people in your state who have done this same research, made the plunge into homeschooling, and may have a hint, or 50 hints, to help you be successful and meet the requirements of your state. There are even software programs available, based on a particular state’s requirements, designed to help homeschoolers track and report specific information needed in that state.

Now you’ve got confidence from seeing your new homeschool friends’ success. As you meet more homeschoolers, you will also share in their struggles. Since we don’t live in Eden, our kids are still going to act like kids. Our own shortcomings will still be with us. If keeping our house clean is important to you, it will stay a priority (if even just for your own sanity), even if you’re homeschooling. If your house wasn’t a priority before you started homeschooling…well, it won’t clean itself.

Having confidence, a little support for homeschooling, and knowledge about what’s needed for homeschooling in your state lays the groundwork to answering the question, “Can I homeschool?” Yes, you can. I know parents with disabilities who homeschool successfully. I know people who’s kids have disabilities who homeschool successfully. I’ve met people with lots of kids and babies and toddlers; and I’ve known some with an only child who all successfully homeschool. I know people who move often, and some who live so far out in the country they can’t see a neighbor from their home who all run successful homeschools. Whether you’re a doctor or lawyer or barely finished highschool, you can have a successful homeschool. I know single moms and families who run a home-based business who have success in homeschooling.
The short answer is, “Yes, you can homeschool.” I believe everyone should at least try to homeschool. It may not be a lifestyle everyone would choose as best for their family, but it can be an incredibly freeing experience to see how joyfully learning can occur.

Quote of the Day

Ds#4 after watching the Leap Frog DVD "Storybook Factory" :

"A comma is to pause for a moment. When you see a period, you need to come to a full STOP."

How do I find homeschoolers in my area?

This question was posed in a comment on my blog - THANK YOU to the person who commented!

The first place I'd try is the internet (since we're here anyway). Type in your city and state name and the words "homeschool", "home school" or "homesschoolers" in a search engine. If you get nothing, try each of those words with just your state name. Many websites have incomplete lists of homeschool support groups listed by state. (homeschool groups pop up all the time.)

• http://www.homeschool.com/supportgroups/
• http://homeschooling.about.com/od/supportgroupsbystate/a/sgusa.htm
• http://www.home-school.com/groups/

Your state organization may have lists of support groups in your area or as close as you can get.

Libraries and bookstores are traditional hang-outs for homeschoolers. If that librarian isn't helpful, ask a branch manager or the head librarian or the children's librarian. Many homeschool newsletters end up on librarian bulletin boards or on library shelves. Your library, or the one in the next town, may have programs specifically for homeschoolers. Even if you aren't homeschooling, yet, you could go to the program and ask the librarian to make an announcement at the beginning of storytime (or whatever the program is) that you are [state you name] and are looking for information about homeschooling or homeschool groups, etc. Your local bookstore may have a group of homeschoolers who meet there once a month. You might want to leave your name and number with the bookstore clerk, who can spot a homeschooler a mile away, and ask him to make an initial contact for you.

Ask around. My newspaper has featured a few stories about homeschoolers in the last few years and in many areas lots of people know at least someone who homeschools. Even if that person isn't your style, they may have a contact name or number for you.

Go to a convention and ask the people who are taking your money when you walk in EVERYONE IN THAT BUILDING IS A HOMESCHOOLER AND KNOWS OTHER HOMESCHOOLERS. We advertise our Catholic group's annual gathering on the Catholic radio station, in the Diocese newspaper and in church bulletins of larger parishes. This would be true of almost any group of any denomination or no denomination. We want to find you to help you. We know how overwhelming it can be at first and know that a friendly ear or the knowlege of where to find books in the area can be invaluable.

I see homeschoolers I've never met in my daily errands. Moms at the grocery store with a bunch of kids during school hours on a day when I know school is in session. At the Salvation Army or bookstores or Target. If you see someone who you think may be homeschooling ask them if they know of anyone in the area who homeschools because you're looking into it.

Some areas have very organized homeschool groups. My town has all of the above things mentioned in an effort to inform new or prospective homeschoolers. They have websites, formal groups, newsletters, conventions, library programs, bookstore meetings, even initial meetings for new homeschoolers to find the resources in our area. Some areas (particularly sparsely populated areas) have less.

Once you find a group or an individual to contact, make the effort. It can be hard when you don't know anyone. It can be even harder if you've gone to one group and had a less than complimentary experience. Even if you have to travel a fair distance, go to a support group meeting (or try a couple of groups) until you find one that seems to fit with you. Finding other homeschoolers can mean the difference between quitting or success in homeschooling for you and your child.

Make the effort and good luck! And thanks for the comment!! (It makes me feel heard here in cyberspace.)