Homeschooling
I have been homeschooling my kids “officially” since January. I’ve been doing a sort of “eclectic” format, piecing it all together myself. I don’t like that method, now that I’ve been doing it for awhile. I would rather have a set curriculum to pull from daily.
Since January, we’ve moved from preschool material to kindergarten material. Both kids know their shapes, colors, letters and letter sounds, can count to 20 (actually much higher with a little help), can do simple addition, and can write all their numbers and letters. We’ve moved on to phonics and beginning reading. I started out using “How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons” but for some reason, Gabriel just wasn’t getting it – so I’ve stepped back and I’m just doing a really phonics-heavy program now. We go over A Beka-style phonics ladders and charts (think sk in skate, thr in three, etc.). I’m a bit frustrated with how long it seems to be taking and the fact that sight words never seem to stick. I know I’m always expecting a bit too much. I am very ambitious, though and it’s just in my nature to push them to be the best they can be … and then some. 
One favorite activity recently has been playing with alphabet magnets. Gabriel has been spelling up a storm .. although, he needs help on things that aren’t obvious, like words with a silent “e.”
I am going to school this summer to start working towards my nursing program … but then I’ll be out in August, not to return until the program officially starts up in fall of 2010. So, I have to decide what to do school-wise with the kids this next year. I *definitely* don’t want them going to public. Mikaela’s not even old enough. I had Gabriel at the public school last year and I didn’t like it for many reasons. I am considering getting a full-time job and finding a private school for the kids to go to. That decision is mostly because we consistently don’t have enough to make ends meet. My freelance work just doesn’t pay the bills. And as much as I believe in homeschooling … I don’t know if it’s for us or not. Maybe if I had a set curriculum to work from, things would go more smoothly. Either way, it’s a big decision to make and I’d appreciate your prayers.
Always dieting
I’ve been dieting since April the 1st. I was on low-carb, and now I’ve switched to low-calorie. I’m down 18 pounds. I get frustrated because I always lose quickly at first and then slow WAY down. I’m wondering if I switch back and forth between the two – like two weeks on low carb, two weeks on low calorie – if that will get the scale moving again. And it will break up the monotony of meat, meat, meat or rabbit food. God forbid I should have to actually exercise to lose weight. Ugh.
Update
Thanks to Mission Possible in Austin, I got a “new” car – a ‘94 mitsubishi galant that needs a paint job and the front two window motors replaced (they slip) … but it’s absolutely beautiful to me! It only has 103K miles on it and it runs great. It passed inspection, hallelujah, and I’ve already taken care of getting it put on the insurance, registered in our name, etc. Back to Mission Possible – it’s a great charity in Austin that serves the needs of the poor. My friends’ dad runs it, and after my other car broke down, she told me that he’d recently gotten a car donated that was reliable but not pretty. They asked if I was interested. Heck yes! It’s SUCH a Godsend. And the best part is that they’re delaying my payment until I get my student loan this summer. I just can’t say enough about how much of a huge help this is – we could’ve never made it otherwise.
So now that I have wheels again … today I drove up to the college and got my student ID and parking sticker. It all feels so official now. This summer, I’m going to be taking anatomy & physiology, speech and a computer class for health students. Then, I’ll be sitting on my hands for all of this next year, until I can get into the nursing program in fall of 2010. Hopefully I can find a job in the interim (late this summer until fall of 2010) – at least a part-time one. Our bills keep going up but our income isn’t. The legislature didn’t vote for a cost-of-living increase to my husband’s meager salary (I’m not denigrating him; he is an amazingly hard worker … but they don’t compensate him like they should) – which is a slap in the face. I’m SO over not making ends meet. Of course, the kids factor into that decision big-time.
Wow, that was a long paragraph. My writing skills slip the later it gets.
So – that’s where we’re at. A little nervous and excited. And majorly blessed.
Newsy stuff … stream of consciousness
I’m going to look at a car today. One of my friends’ dad has a charity that was donated a car, and since I have no means to buy a new (or even used) car … they’re going to let me work with it and work with me on the payments. Pray it works out because I really need something that runs well by June 1st, when school starts!
So, I’m babysitting the little girl I watch in the mornings right now. She’s watching Blue’s Clues, and my kids and Jay are sleeping. After I see her off on the school bus, Jay and the kids and I are going to get ready and go into Austin together, where I’ll drop Jay off at work (he gets to go in late today) and take his car to putt around town for the day and go look at the car I hope I’m getting this afternoon. I’ve been wanting to spend a day in Austin with the kids forever, but I just haven’t had the opportunity or the means in a long time. Not that I really have the means now … so we’re going to be mostly going free places like the library, which I hear is great, and maybe Zilker park. I don’t even know what all Austin has for kids these days … guess I need to do a web search and refresh myself.
Yesterday was Easter, and I was sad. Jay was sick and it was storming and his tires are bald … so we didn’t go anywhere. We’re looking for a new church, so it felt awkward anyway. I hate this church-shopping process. It feels like the long slog of dating, which was not fun for me. I am a “means-to-an-end” person, so I just want to hurry up and get to the point. I’m desperately missing being connected with a church family. It’s so depressing. I have heard many people say we have no good non-denominational churches in our area. It’s tempting to try to get together with some people and start one ourselves … but that concept scares me. I don’t know the first thing about (being part of) running a church, but I am keenly aware that God holds people like that to a very high standard. Not that it’s a bad thing … I guess I always dread the thought of inviting testing by fire! Gosh, that last statement is very telling. I guess I just already feel like we’ve had a really hard time for a long time. Not that anything major has been wrong … just financial woes and health stuff for me. We have so many blessings, though, more than I can count.
Now “Franklin” is coming on, and A. (my charge) is reading a book. I’ll have to go outside to wait for her bus soon. I only have to do this for a couple more weeks, I keep telling myself. I really hate getting up at 6:30 am, especially when my kids sleep as late as 8:30. Sometimes after she gets on the school bus, I go back to sleep. Usually to be awakened by, “MAMA? I SAID CAN I HAVE POPTARTS?!?”
I got a great haircut this week. Way more than I usually pay at Great Clips … but way worth it. I wanted to get a good cut for my niece’s wedding, which we leave for on 4/29. A week before that is my 31st birthday. I’ve come not to really expect much of birthdays anymore, even though they mean a lot to me. Bummer. Why can’t adults have fun birthdays too?
Well … gotta go “catch” the bus … have a great day!
Car trouble, diet again
Are these the ongoing themes of my life, or is it just me? It always seems like I’m dieting or having car trouble.
First, the car: I’ve had several cars in a row that fell apart on me. Mostly because they are old, I’m sure. Maybe I’m just a car jinx. Who knows? Anyway, last summer I bought an ‘86 Mercedes, thinking that the quality brand would make up for the oldness. Not so much. It has a host of problems, but the last straw came Friday: an accelerator that kept getting stuck.
I was out with the kids when it happened the first time; I called my friend Sarah, who was headed my way anyway, to drive the kids home. I drove the Mercedes back to my house while she and the kids followed me in her car. The problem just kept getting worse the further I drove … it was really a horrifying feeling. Finally we made it back to my place and Jay and I have just decided we’re done fooling with this car.
So, here I am carless again. A place I hate being. Here I am about to start school, trying to get a job, needing to cart the kids from one place to another – it’s just beyond frustrating. I may sit on my hands until I know for sure I’m getting some student loan money… heaven knows, we can’t really afford another car payment. But I don’t want to be stuck in the same situation I keep finding myself in: with a cheap, old car that falls apart. Argh! I know this is a season of life that we’re in, but can the financially strapped part of the season be over now? Please??
Switching gears (haha! get the pun? I’m so witty. LOL.) … the diet. Here I am low-carbing it again. This is what I do, low-carb diet for a couple or a few weeks, drop 20 pounds, and then slowly gain the 20 back. Lord, please help me stick with it this time! I’m so done with being over-weight. So far I’m doing pretty well – 8 pounds in 4 days. I know – spare me all your “that’s not a healthy rate of loss” arguments. I can’t stick to low-fat or low-calorie diets, I get hungry and often dizzy from my blood sugar. Low carb always works well for me, I just usually wind up getting bored with it and quitting. So wish me luck! Say a prayer! I really want this time to stick!
