Schedule changes, computer woes and real life!

Those are pretty much the things that have kept me from blogging all week. Eaglewood's new job has us all scrambling to shift our daily schedule from the later start we had been getting due to his previous job to a bright and early start to each day! Since I am primarily solar-powered, I am enjoying the change. ;o)

Our computer had been acting flaky all week and locking up on us way too often, but Ditto the Wonder Boy has diagnosed and repaired it thus saving the day here in the Eaglewood household. He has been doing that sort of thing since before he was even 10! Can you tell this mommy is proud of her boy?

Real life has also been a problem for us this week. I'm sad to say that we are all real people with real emotions who have been a bit cranky due to all of the life and schedule changes. However, the week seems to be winding down with happy, smiley faces today. I guess that must be a sign that we all survived!

What's going on in your world?

And, let's not forget football season...

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season Are You?

Just in case you NEED another reason to homeschool...

Here ya go!

So, what does my homeschool day REALLY look like?

Well, right at this moment, I'm hiding out at the computer while my big two do their schoolwork independently. They like it that way. Why am I hiding at the computer? Actually, I'm battling hysterical laughter. My little two, who don't have much schoolwork left for today, broke into a spontaneous game that seems to revolve around battling imaginary giant chickens. Maybe it was the soup last night...

Because I Don't Own A Suit...

You Are 4% Slacker

You are anything but a slacker. You're truly a go getter. You never let laziness get in the way of living your life - and you can't stand to see it in others.

Are You a Slacker?

The New Carnival Of Homeschooling Is Up!

If you haven't yet been to The Thinking Mother's blog to check it out, you might just want to stop by!

It's Monday!

Monday morning arrived here with all of the usual Monday morning craziness. What is it about two days off from school work and a day off from chores that causes insanity in children, anyway? I think I'm just going to concentrate on making sure the basics get done and being grateful that there were no little lizards in my bathroom last night!

Eaglewood is about to leave for another job interview. Please keep him in your prayers today!

Living History

There's a mall and shopping center over in Frisco, TX (driving distance from us!) that is decorated all around with statues and large stone tablets describing Texas history. Every once in awhile, we drive the children over there and go exploring. It doesn't hurt that there is a Half Price Books store there, too!

Pookie, Sneefert and Puddleglum really enjoyed acting out their idea of life at a cowboy camp!

Answers NOT to give to the question....

What? No school today?

Engrossed In Texas History

Pookie informed me today that she has been rather bored with her history textbook of late, so we decided to give her a couple of weeks off to work on living history books exclusively. Here she is engrossed in history (and buried under a few good books)!

Happy Anniversary To Us!

Eaglewood and I have been married 16 years today! Just thought that I would share that... ;o)

My Myrtles Are Blooming!

Looking For New Money-Saving Ideas?

You might want to go and check out the Festival of Frugality at Get Rich Slowly. While you are at it, you may also want to check out Like Merchant Ships.

So.... I'm From Pluto, and I Don't Hold Grudges?

You Are From Pluto

You are a dark, mysterious soul, full of magic and the secrets of the universe. You can get the scoop on anything, but you keep your own secrets locked in your heart. You love change and you use it to your advantage, whether by choice or chance. You don't like to compromise, to the point of being self-destructive with your stubborness. Live life with love, and your deep powers will open the world to you.

What Planet Are You From?

You Are 77% Grown Up, 23% Kid

Congratulations, you are definitely quite emotionally mature. Although you have your moments of moodiness, you're usually stable and level headed.

How Emotionally Mature Are You?

Who Woulda Thunk?

After a whole summer of drought here in North Texas, we are finally getting some rain tonight! Okay, we aren't actually getting as much as this picture shows (it's from last year's flood, too), but at least it's RAIN! How's the weather in your neck of the woods?

Local Fauna

Ditto snapped this photo at our local creek just after the flood we had last year. For some reason, our nature studies always seem to include some sort of varmints or fossils!

What's YOUR Personality Cluster (Whatever that is)?

Your Personality Cluster is Extraverted Intuition

You are: A true wordsmith - a master of words Original, spontaneous, and a true inspiration Highly energetic, up for any challenge Entertaining and engaging, both to friends and strangers

What's Your Personality Cluster?

So Glad That You Asked, Beth!

Books and homeschooling seem to be two of my favorite subjects! I promise I really DO have other interests as well, though! Anyway, since Beth was kind enough to ask such a loaded question, here is a list of some of the books we are using this year!

For Ditto:
Bible (NIV and KJV)
LLATL Gray (He really likes LLATL as he can move at his own pace with little in-put from me)
"Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?" (economics) and "Whatever Happened to Justice?" (government) by Richard Maybury
"Streams Of Civilization II" for our history spine book. We read a LOT of living history books as well. Ditto tends to read even more than I do!
"The Fallacy Detective" (Logic) by Nathaniel and Hans Bluedorn
"The Teaching Textbook-Algebra"
"Apologia Physical Science"
Ditto is also teaching himself several computer languages and doing some sort of comparison between the text of the NIV Bible and the KJV Bible. I don't have much in the way of details yet, but these have proven to be two of his passions recently!

For Pookie:
Bible (NIV)
LLATL Tan (Language Arts)
BJUP Math (grade 6, I think!)
"The Texas God Created" (Texas history) We are also supplementing with lots of living history books!
"The Fallacy Detective"
"It Couldn't Just Happen" (science) by Lawrence O. Richards
"The Drawing Textbook" by Bruce McIntyre and "Art Fraud Detective" by Anna Nilsen

For Sneefert:
"Explode the Code" books (I love these!) for reading and handwriting
Math is hands-on and applicable to real life at this stage.
History is living books and read-alouds
Science is "Dinosaurs by Design" by Duane T. Gish, "Life In the Great Ice Age" by Michael and Beverly Oard, "The Weather Book" by Michael Oard, "The Geology Book" by Dr. John D. Morris, "Explorabook: A Kid's Science Museum In a Book" by John Cassidy... Can you tell this boy LOVES science?
"Art Fraud Detective"
I'm probably missing something, but I cannot think of it right now!

For Puddleglum:
Rod and Staff preschool book set: "Adventures With Books", "Bible Pictures to Color", "Counting With Numbers", "Do It Carefully", "Everywhere We Go" and "Finding the Answers".
"The Beginner's Bible" and "The Lord's Prayer For Children" (The older children tend to combine their Bible study time and copywork which is working too well to mess with!)
Five In a Row books when we feel like it.
Lots of hands-on stuff whenever something interests us!
Nature Study wherever the opportunities present themselves (which happens pretty frequently).

There is more. We use lots of living books and lots of supplemental history and science books, but this should give you the basic idea!

When it comes to schedules, we begin after our first meal of the day (be it breakfast, brunch, or whatever depending on Eaglewood's schedule and what time he got home the day before!), and we finish when we have covered the material we needed to cover for the day. Our schedule is pretty flexible, and getting finished early is always an option. :o)

A Few Confessions Concerning Our REAL life...

1. I don't keep grades in our homeschool. If the children make a mistake, they re-do their work until it is correct. They seem to learn a lot more that way.

2. I don't really believe in kindergarten. We don't do it. We just learn about whatever they are interested in at that age. There, I said it.

3. "Eaglewood" (dh) is called "Bear" in real life. When called by his real name Bear often assumes that the person talking to him is a) His mother, b) a stranger, or c) angry with him.

4. I have a high IQ and a short attention span. The first hasn't helped me in life nearly as much as other people usually assume. The second has proven to be a real asset at times, though!

5. We have a shop vac in our kitchen. That should tell you a whole lot about what we are really like!

Nutter Butter

He's sort of like a cat, but really more like a little orange rug.