still here

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Hey bloggy-friends!  I'm still here...problem is, I've taken such a long break from blogging, I'm not sure how to get back into it.  A huge part of it has been the on-going saga with my grandparents, I felt/ feel like there is  so much drama and negative-stuff, that I'm not sure how to share it without dumping it out and being, well, negative.

but, um here goes....I'll just jump back in.  My grandmother is still living with us, in my front living room.  We were hoping to use some of my grandparents' savings to build her a suite, but we weren't real sure if it was a wise move, so that was part of why we went through conservator court...so that the court would make big decisions like that, because frankly, we are a bit lost with how to manage what little they have.  The court said no.  So....grandmother is living in my front living room, which has french doors on one side, and the other side we can board up.  Things can't stay that way, though, she really needs an attached bathroom. So, we will be moving her into our master bedroom.  Our house is a 1950's house and the master is not really big...she will lose some space in the move, the front living room is pretty spacious.  I think access to her own bathroom kind of trumps spaciousness, though. But only barely.  I'm a bit sad about giving up my room.  Sky and I will move into the front living room.  I love, love, love the big picture window in that room, so I will look forward to that.

I am taking another child development type class, this is my third. I'm planning on getting a certificate for early childhood education so I can be a kindergarten aid or a preschool aid in a headstart-type program.  I was also taking an Algebra class, but I had an epiphany last week that I really hate math and I didn't want to be there.  I thought getting an associate's degree would be the smart thing to do, since I'm taking classes....but I really just want to learn to write better and explore art. Sky said from the beginning that I should just take classes that interest me, and I can see now that he was right.  I was beginning to dread going to class, and for my first exam (which I got an A on) I had to spend a lot of time studying for, that I didn't feel I had.  Amie and Demi have started back up with homeschooling, and then I have the grandparents' care stuff....and so on.  My math class was two evenings a week, so now it is really nice to be home again for those two nights.

*Homeschool

We've started back up, full-swing.  I'll get a homeschool materials post up real soon.  Demi and Amie are busy with a few Biola Star classes, we have our normal homeschool studies, and then art and music.  Josie is back at the performing arts highschool for her 2nd and last year, she will be graduating this year.  Meg is in her second year of college.  She cares for horses in the morning -as a job, just got a part time job at Barnes & Nobles (Yay!) and graduated from the police explorers program this Summer.  She is very busy, and I am so proud of how hard she is working and how responsible she has grown up to be.  She's still not sure which direction she wants to go with as far as law enforcement, it changes...at first it was the horses, then FBI, now she's talking about forestry.  Who knows, but I'm sure it will be exciting.

So, that's a sort of re-cap of what is happening around here.  Oh, did I mention my grandmother has a dog?  We now are a two-dog family.  Sky is thrilled. (that was sarcasm) She's a sweet, small dog.  The transition to having my grandmother and her dog here has really gone very smoothly, my grandmother is a gentle soul, and so is her dog. Grandfather is finally landed in a really nice private nursing home...for now.  He got kicked out the first week, we got him new medication and took him back after a week back home.  So far it's okay, but every time I get a call from that area code, my stomach clenches.

here's a teaser with the homeschool stuff.... Oak Meadow World History, Aleks Math, Memoria Press First From Latin, Minecraft..... (I'll just name drop, since most of you stop by for the homeschooling stuff....I cleaned out my homeschool closet, totally!!  {shriek!!!!!}  I've tried to clean it out each year for the past 4 years, it is finally done. (Sky had to help me, bless that man!)

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Here's a hawk on a fountain I saw during a run (okay, mostly walk....) because,

hawk.....urban....city.....fountain = cool and unusual.  I love my neighborhood.

How's life bloggy friends?  I'm glad you stopped by :)

Homeschool 2013-2014

2013-2014 Homeschool Year at Cliffs of Insanity Day Academy:

{Teddy, my bonus student, went back to public school last school year.  Meg graduated and is attending her first year of college. (Yes, I homeschooled her all the way, K-12)  Josie auditioned for a performing arts high school (charter school) and will be there for 11th grade and 12th grade (unless she decides to come home, but she loves it so far).  This year, we are down to two students; Demi-Sky is in 8th grade this year, and Amie is in 6th grade.}  Here is a list of our studies and books we are using;

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Amie 6th grade

Math Mammoth light blue series     Aleks Math (online)           Piano lessons        Parkour classes (p.e.)

Science:  Aha Science -online, and a few Science 2 U classes (monthly themed classes)    Literature: independent reading

Test Prep: Buckle-Down Language Arts 6

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Demi-Sky 8th Grade

Math: Teaching Textbooks         Aleks Math (online)           Piano lessons      Lacrosse team (p.e.)

English: Intermediate Composition 8 with Biola Star (once a week class with a great syllabus):

*Teaching Writing: Structure and Style Seminar Workbook Institute for Excellence in Writing 978-0984099092 *Student Resource Notebook Pages IEW   *Word Web Vocabulary Workbook Vol. 1 Sage Education Enterprises, Inc. The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth Speare Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom Miracle Worker, by William Gibson Across Five Aprils, by Irene Hunt

Latin:  online Latin Class with Biola Star (twice a week)

*The Latin Road to English Grammar vol. 1 & 2

Oak Meadow Science 5                   Buckle Down Science Standards Review 8                Independent reading

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Together-Amie & Demi:

Veritas Press self-paced History: Explorers to 1850 (online)

Shurley English 4

Bible:  Who is God? -Apologia Worldview series

private art lessons

to get to 2nd semester, hopefully:

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Memoria Press First Form Latin set with dvds

Grammar of Poetry IEW

Fallacy Detective

The Ode less traveled; tackling the poet within -Stephen Fry

Philosophy for Kids

Logic of English: spelling (for Amie)

 

 

 

 

 

After-schooling with Josie -

Who is God apologia Worldview (independently and by discussion)

*Rosetta Stone French      *assigned literature -To Kill a Mockingbird, etc.

After-schooling with Meg-

Mere Christianity (reading together and discuss)

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Mom School:

Mere Christianity with Meg

going back to college, 3 unit Child Development class Spring semester

7 Quick Takes -Create Mixed Media Retreat Edition

 ~1~

I stumbled upon this mixed media retreat happening right in my backyard.  Stumbled, yes- about two weeks before it was to happen. Usually, I see neat ads for incredible art retreats, but the ads will say something like "come to the beautiful Catskill mountains."..or Hawaii or somewhere else just as impossible for me, but this time, it was nearby!  I looked at all the great workshops offered, whittled my wish list down to 6 classes, then down to 4, then down to the two I was most interested in.  (this retreat covered days!)  I am hoping they will be back next year!

~2~

The class I was most interested in was encaustic collage.  Last year, when we were visiting San Juan Island, I saw an artbook with encaustic artwork in it.  I had no idea what the medium was, but intrigued, I googled it.

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I discovered that encaustic collage used beeswax as the main medium.  This was the art technique I was most excited about learning more about.  The class did not disappoint.  By the time I had laid down my first layer of hot wax, I knew I was in love.

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~3~

Have I mentioned before my love affair with flamingos?  Yes, it goes deep with me.  I'm currently on the look-out for a large metal flamingo I can dress for holidays.  I gather from Sky's silence on the matter, that he is in full accord with my wishes...hey, if he doesn't speak up before I hit "buy now" it's totally not my fault.  ---sooo, I tried the encaustic technique here with a flamingo photo I took and printed out on paper.  I love the paper doilie layer..it just works.  I need to add a pink feather to this, and then it will be done. I like it, because it has a sort of kitschy feel.

~4~

So the retreat was several days, many of the attendees stayed at the hotel, but I just drove in both days.

The encaustic class was 6 hours long.  Oh the joy!!  It went by soo fast.  We had a lunch break and I enjoyed eating at the hotel restaurant.  The whole day was very relaxing and yet very electrifying at the same time...kind of an art-induced head-buzz.  The second class I took was on making transfers, pretty useful.  I did well with the water and mat medium transfers, but went down in flames with the gesso transfers.

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~5~

The bathrooms at the hotel had these signs, which amused me, greatly.

~6~

We are done with school!  Officially- except I am rolling out a pretty rigorous course of study for the Summer.  We switched Josie over to Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 - I kind of lurve it because it is self-correcting. If it goes well, I might use it with Demi in the Fall.  Right now, I've got Demi working on Aleks math- it's online.  Amie has moved over to Math Mammoth.  I plan to have both Amie and Demi using Aleks Math in the Fall along with whichever program we also decide to use.

~7~

Meg and I are going through the book Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations together right now.  I wrote earlier how I felt panicky over the fact that Meg is graduating and that I feel like so much was left undone.  The book is a small, gentle way to address my feelings and to keep touching base with her.  We meet once a week to discuss our reading, over a bagel or something equally yummy. :)

*7 Quick takes is hosted over at Conversion Diary

Mad Dog Math - our Summer of Math begins

Today was our 1st day of Summer homeschool.  Teddy was out for a week vacationing with his grandparents, so we took the week off, also.  Now that he is back, I started in on my Summer plans for learning.  First up:  Mad Dog Math.  This is a program for learning your Math facts.  We are working through the multiplication/division series, but an addition/subtraction series is also available.

I purchased the homeschool binder edition.  Also available is a homeschool computer program and then a School program- both binder and computer.  I kind of like paper and pens ;)

I set myself up for some angst when I first brought it home- and kept putting off opening it till I had a chunk of free time to sit and read through the instructions and time for photocopying the drills.   

Sheepish admission here...when I did pop it open (late at night during an asthma breathing machine episode for Demi..I figured, hey, I'm awake...!) I realized that no prep work/time/reading was needed.  I was happily disabused of that notion.  I didn't really need to make copies, either- the drills are intended to be worked with handy wipe- off protectors and a dry erase pen. :)

Today was our first day.  We spent the morning reviewing our 2 times tables, using the flashcards that came with the program and then I had the kids write them out a few times, and we chanted them.

Next came the timed drill.  Demi and Teddy made the 2 minute club, Amie had a bit of trouble, so she will be working with me tonight on them and then doing a slightly different 2 times drill tomorrow.

Tuesday, the kids will move on to the 2 division facts.

Summer of Math, Math, Math...

 A Full review coming soon after we have used the program a few weeks, promise!

*disclaimer: I purchased Mad Dog Math at a discount in exchange for my honest review here  -keeping it all so real and legal, blog friends ;)