Thursday, 20 November 2008

• Oh, the best of plans...

  I had all the very best of plans to be posting more. It seemed that we had settled into our routines and blogging time might return. That was, until I got the call....

  Monday night while driving to pick Mikayla up from youth group my cell phone rings. "Mom, are you on your way to get me?" Me, "yes, I'm about half way there. Why?" "I just threw up, that's why."

  And thus began our night. About 11:30 as I was holding Mikayla's head over her bucket, Mercedes began to cough. Mikayla says, "Mom, Mercedes is sick too." And so it continued, one or the other, or both at the same time, every 5 minutes, until some time after 4AM. It was a l-o-n-g night. Tuesday both girls were running fevers and afraid to even try to swallow tylenol. I was catching sleep as I could to avoid joining the ranks in the infirmary. Wednesday and today I have been a mad-bleaching (read carefully to avoid getting the wrong idea-lol) woman, disinfecting anything I can squirt my bleach solution on. Fevers are gone and food is starting to sound better. We are officially on the mend.

  We have cancelled all activities for the week and school is on the back burner until tomorrow. Mikayla has a couple of tests to study for so that she can take them on Monday before Thanksgiving break.

  I had checked out from the library (before the plague hit) a DVD on Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton ~ Not for Ourselves Alone. Mikayla is looking at Women Suffrage for History right now. I have been amazed by a few things. First, how few rights women had. A married woman had no right to her own wages, could not own or inherit property and had absolutely no right to custody of her children if her husband divorced her (she could not divorce him). Women were not allowed to speak in public and the only acceptable job for a woman was that of school marm. I was also amazed at how "progressive" the Quakers were. They taught equality of the sexes under God and even had women pastors. One thing that discouraged me was Susan B. Anthony's attitude of mothering being a "lesser cause" than that of women's rights. Perhaps it was because she was never married.

  And now for our Blogger Friend School Assignment of this week...

  

  Assignment #110 - Computers Help People Help People (IBM)

  Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:29

  Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

  Intro: Computers Help People Help People(Marketing credit: IBM)

  There are many ways computers help us.  It is a wonderful way to stay in touch with family far away, “meet” other christian women around the globe, and it can be such a blessing with homeschooling.

  Assignment:

  Share some of your favorite homeschooling sites.  The only “rule” for this assignment is that you have to list at least one “free” site.  Many homeschooling families have made the choice to live on very little income to do what they believe is best for their children and I want everyone to be able to benefit from this assignment.  If you have other sites that are “paid” sites, feel free to include these also as it might be something someone would really appreciate.  If you feel led, share your curriculum choices with us.  I always love to learn what is out there that I don’t already know about.  Please make sure to include links to the sites you share.

   

  Free homeschooling resources are my passion. As a family living on one income that is challenged by our current housing market crash (my husband is a Real Estate Agent) I make use of every free resource I can find. My computer is my friend.

   

  We use the Ambleside Online Curriculum. One of the great things about this program is that many of the resources are available online for free. Many that aren't online are available at our local library. So, the library website is my second favorite site (you'll have to locate the link for your own library website--LOL). I search for books and request that they be sent to my local branch. Then all I have to do is go in with my library cart on wheels and pick them up. My librarians know me and my girls and are always very helpful.

   

  Another resource that I recently discovered is Homeschool Freebie of the Day. I signed up for their "Heads Up" email and each Monday get a preview of what the offerings for the week will be. Then I just have to be sure that I snag the daily offerings that I think will work for us. I download the files and have them readily available on my computer when we need them.

   

  This year my girls are doing Math-U-See and I love the free worksheet generator and online drills at their website.

   

  I love this site for spelling games: Spelling City .

   

  I have lots, lots and lots of bookmarks for sites that I use in our school and I NEVER pay for any of them. If you have something you are looking for, just ask. I'm sure I probably have free sites that I use and would be happy to share. There is no way I can post them all here.

   

  If I don't return before Thanksgiving praying for each of you dear readers and friends to have a wonderful holiday with family and friends.

   

   

   

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