Play a game of Catch-up!!

in the last nine days we've:

• Thing Two has has played in two play off games and Red Sox's have won both games.  Should they win on Tuesday, they win it all.
• This past Tuesday, June 4th, Thing One finished up all requirements for Second Class in Boy Scouts and has begun the meetings with the Scout Master and others.
• Saturday, Thing One tested in Tae Kwon Doe and passed to earn his Advanced Green Belt
• This week, I've been working on repainting the main level powder room.  We just need to take a bit of time to put things back in.  The walls need a lot of work, so we took the tank of the toilet and the sink out o make the work easier.  Everything that need to be bought, has been, and needs to be installed.
• There has been a close out bash for Quest Kids (5th and 6th graders) on Friday and "closing remarks" during Sunday school, so they officially move up to 7th grade this next Sunday.
• Also on Friday, I spent a few hours in Richmond, VA at the HEAV convention.  Picked up a few things for school next year.
• Tonight, we go to a year end party for Grace Group.  6th graders get recognized (as well as 8th graders and graduating seniors, if there are any),  Thing One has been looking forward to this since last year's party!!!!!!!!  =]

Think that's just about it!  Not a whole lot else blog worth to mention.  Hope you have a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

Daily Scheduling

I've been busy, busy, busy.  Printing things for school, making wish lists for when we attend the HEAV Convention, and about to print more blank weekly lesson sheets.  Yes, it may be a bit early, but given we will have a couple weeks of school in June, I want to get an idea of how school may look with some of the new subjects we are adding this year.

For 2011/2012 school year, I am hoping to add:

• typing
• Spanish vocabulary using Rosetta Stone Latin America
• Phys. Ed.
• Nature Studies (been meaning to do this and have neglected it greatly)
• more art, but through our Unit Studies, Geography, and History
• A Child's Geography written by Ann Voskamp

 Most of these may only be 2 or 3 days a week and may need to be shuffled some once we have fall activities figured out.  This is in addition to Five in a Row, Beyond Five in a Row, Amanda Bennett's Unit Studies,  Mystery of History, Math-U-See, and Language Lessons from Queens Homeschool Supplies.  These we've used in the past few years with a lot of success, so we're continuing with them.

Lessons Learned

We've been home from Richmond less than 24 hours, so it seems appropriate to write about my lessons learned. So here they are, in no particular order:

• don't make eye contact with the vendors unless you are interested in their product
• Old Navy flip flops are not good for that much walking (last years Wal-Mart flip flops were better)
• as much as I dislike the "home school" carts you see there, they don't wear your shoulder out while carrying the curriculum you've purchase
• making reservations in January/February ensures that you get an early entrance to the used curriculum sale AND reservations at a close hotel
• know how much items cost, at the cheapest vendor/retailer BEFORE, going down. You can price shop for new/used curriculum being more knowledgeable
• know where you can pick up a free wifi signal, in case you want to double check a price before buying
  
• hit Rainbow Resources early on the second day = not many people or the homeschool carts you trip over
• Yes, just about all vendors have no s/h on items if they have run out of items before the end of convention, so if you don't need an item right away it's no big deal
• remember to drink LOTS of water
• with a hotel room close, with a fridge and microwave, you can eat lunch and dinner super cheap (2 people + 4 meals = under $10.00)

There you have it, some of my lessons learned. Part two of 2010 convention will be items we bought.

Excitement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As an adult, what gets you totally excited? The success of your child in school, sports, or spiritual things? A raise in pay? A new car, house, or something else?

While all these things are wonderful, probably one of the greatest fun things for me, in the last few years, is going to the HEAV Convention. It's a chance to go to a bunch of vendors, listen to a few speakers on many different topics, see some friends, and having 6 meals with Kevin without kids!!!

Should you care, here's a list of Vendors I'll be visiting and most likely buying from:

• Excellence in Writing
• Math-U-See
• My Father's World
• Queen Homeschool Supplies
• Rainbow Resource Center, Inc.

Now for the the Workshops:

• The Power of Good Habits in Your Homeschool - Simply Charlotte Mason
• Homeschool Distractions - Kerin Morgan
• Nature Studies & Journaling - Barry Stebbing
• Combining Classical Education, Charlotte Mason, and Unit Studies with a Christian Perspective - My Father's World
  

Yes, there is a theme to most of the Vendors and Workshops I'll be attending. With three years of homeschooling under my belt, I'm a bit more relaxed, ready to try new things for the boys, and ready to set things aside if they aren't working. Unit studies have been a wonderful concept for our family. We can focus on a theme, book, idea, or whatever, glean a lot of information about said theme, then move on. Yes, the homeschool distractions play in as I'm naturally and easily distracted by my own body chemistry, things that look more fun, a new topic, and actual household chores. One of my "New School Year Resolves" is to get the boys outside more. There are a wealth of trails to explore in our area, county and state parks to play in or visit, and a lot of places we can go visit within a short drive (or metro)!

Used Curriculum!

Our homeschool group had a used curriculum sale this morning. How is it our oldest came home with more money than I did? He wasn't even selling anything!!!!!!!!! Dang the luck! He watched a friend of mine's table for a bit. I sold two books for $0.50 a piece. Oh well. Guess I'll see if there is still time to set things up with the HEAV Convention and hope that a larger audience will lend itself to selling.

Home again, Home again

We've been home from the HEAV Convention since this past Saturday. It was really enjoyable going, for several reasons:

1. didn't feel obligated to stop at every vendor as we know our style of teaching, we know which books we'll be using etc.
2. came to realize, that stopping by the Rainbow Resource booth, is shear madness. They can't bring everything, obviously, AND didn't have anything on my wish list. There is no incentive to buy during the convention, so I'll tweak my wish list (or combine it with some friends) to come up with $150.00 for free shipping and handling.
3. we saw a number of friends we hadn't seen a while. Although not the best time to really catch up, it was nice to see them anyway.
4. my husband and I had six meals together without our kids, without having to cook, and without having to clean up. Woo! Hoo!
5. we sold a couple items at the Used Curriculum Sale. My big ticket item didn't sell, but that's okay.
6. sitting in on some of the various sessions were just totally awesome. They got me excited about the coming year.
7. being among people who like to home school as well.
   

So, as my summer vacation winds down, before we start our "Summer Session" I feel even more confident in hearing God's call upon my heart to bring our boys home.

Home School Convention

If Christmas is for the kids, does that, possibly, make conventions for parents?

From the sounds of it (reading FIAR Forum and reading various web-sites) anyone weekend in June or July there is a Home School Convention somewhere. The idea of wandering isles of exhibitors, all wanting to sell you the latest and greatest. The first year we went to one, it was so over whelming. Last years HEAV Convention felt overwhelming as well, even with a year of Homeschooling under our belt.

This year, I'm hoping, will be easier. The kids will be with their grandparents and we'll be able to linger more; be able to walk the isles and browse; be able to really look through the used curriculum. It also helps that we know most of what we're looking for, with regards to curriculum, and have used most of it before. We'll be looking for deals on "fun" stuff.

HHMMMMM?

My oldest and I visited a used, homeschooling curriculum sale today.  Just couldn't pass it up, even not being a certain which curriculum we'll use this coming year.  Happily left, after spending only $3.00, with one curriculum I've been mulling over; it's Five in a Row.  I really like the concept of it and THINK it might work for my two next year.  The beauty of it, I can experiment in the coming days, before the HEAV Convention, to decide if we like it or not.  Being able to see other options, even if the wrong "grade level" was a good experience.  I've noticed, at least on-line, that the overall format doesn't change, from one grade to the next, in a given curriculum; at least if you are looking at, say 5th grade and you'll have a 3rd grader.  

We're all looking forward to a good summer vacation and awesome school year come fall.