tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25659216286532093072024-02-22T10:10:27.639-06:00Stay At Home ChildEviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.comBlogger254125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-73775985386141112942023-08-17T22:13:00.001-05:002023-08-17T22:13:38.296-05:00Lapbooks are Amazing Tools to Document What Students Have Learned<p> If you've homeschooled for long enough, you've definitely come across lapbooks. They are not only a way to organize what a student is learning, but they are also a record of what they've studied (learned) as well as a study tool to stay up on the information in the future. My favorite lapbook company is <a href="https://knowledgeboxcentral.com/" target="_blank">Knowledge Box Central</a>, but you can also find them through <a href="https://ajourneythroughlearning.net/" target="_blank">A Journey Through Learning</a>.</p><p>Lapbooks work for any age, and while the younger students might need help cutting their pieces out, or gluing them down, older students can do them completely independently. We loved using lapbooks with the Exploring Creation Series by Jeannie Fulbright. </p><p>If you haven't given lapbooking a try, what are you waiting for? Doesn't this look like a blast?!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIGOu_8VgmG4_lTI3_HdG-EwXDxuC51QYT31nrpgTZt2JVgf2cYVGA30xn6dLifwTxUZClhxS7sHedFVQsA55IpjErriZ70uNWsyvUzxBBstPq0ZNd5nh5FvRrLhxRmKo2cm5xcObTQIdI1-N34FD6xV35OTAe8Wexn1fMRFm5pcSnss3rZAa6VNSX_JV/s1004/LAPBOOKS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1004" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIGOu_8VgmG4_lTI3_HdG-EwXDxuC51QYT31nrpgTZt2JVgf2cYVGA30xn6dLifwTxUZClhxS7sHedFVQsA55IpjErriZ70uNWsyvUzxBBstPq0ZNd5nh5FvRrLhxRmKo2cm5xcObTQIdI1-N34FD6xV35OTAe8Wexn1fMRFm5pcSnss3rZAa6VNSX_JV/w640-h404/LAPBOOKS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-17453952638634898872023-06-25T19:09:00.003-05:002023-06-25T19:10:42.159-05:00Empty Nester Catastrophe - Send help<p> Day two of being an empty nester has not gone according to plan.</p><p>While doing yard work this morning, for the first time in my life, I tried to weed eat my leg. Three times.</p><p>Then, I noticed one of the dogs had foam coming from his mouth just as I saw the toad not far from us, and neither were happy. I thought the toad was a goner, but after I got the dog inside to google whether or not he was going to die, he hopped off. The first article I found online went on and on and on and on about the difference between frogs and toads, and how some toads are poisonous, blah blah blah... I mean, the dog could've died while I tried to get to the information I needed!</p><p>The dog didn't die. But I did spend the rest of my time weed eating deciding what I would do if he exhibited any of the signs of toxicity. I mean, he has dementia...and he HAS had a pretty good life. Did I need to spend hundreds of dollars on him if he's about to check out anyway? </p><p>I decided I should clean out my car. That's when I knew the universe had gone awry. I'm that person that NEVER (and I mean NEVER in my life!) leaves the vehicle without taking the keys with me. ESPECIALLY when I'm at the car wash, I make sure my keys are in my pocket, because I just *know* somehow the car is going to lock and the keys will be locked inside. I washed the car with no issue. Then, while I was vacuuming it out with the worst suction vacuum EVER, I thought about how I should have just gotten out my shop vac at home, because it works SO much better but I just didn't want to drag it out of the basement, and I might as well start vacuuming behind the driver seat even though it's pointless I wonder what I'm going to have for lunch because I'm hungry and <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THEN IT HAPPENED</b></span>.</p><p> The back door was locked. I didn't panic yet, because it usually does lock, and I had driven from the car wash to the vacuum, so that made sense. Then I tried the front door and it had locked somehow. My fear was finally justified. I KNEW it could do this! I looked down and saw the keys in my seat.</p><p>My first thought was that my daughter probably has the spare key on her key ring. In Croatia. I can't call her housemate to see if she left her keys at home because my phone is locked in the car. Thankfully my sister has had the same phone number for over 20 years, so I can call her, and she is at my house a few minutes away. There is a lot more that goes wrong, but the story is already getting too long...eventually she gets there and calls AAA.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvP_HAut2yW3uj9Kcd4tUr8w8clGr-_fEW_kiCoFsrzjmb-mylytSOobwBtkC-PcHgL-ynpDPBiOqog9kfQEnfurLiXFf7fpN9RrzVF1iTeelkx3iILcP8O1_bhEgAxHd3mOwcLQ-mY65uOlcGuCFY4DoUjOqLKnWxSeir0yUgkT1aA-xmwpnb2tBZEr4/s649/keys.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="478" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvP_HAut2yW3uj9Kcd4tUr8w8clGr-_fEW_kiCoFsrzjmb-mylytSOobwBtkC-PcHgL-ynpDPBiOqog9kfQEnfurLiXFf7fpN9RrzVF1iTeelkx3iILcP8O1_bhEgAxHd3mOwcLQ-mY65uOlcGuCFY4DoUjOqLKnWxSeir0yUgkT1aA-xmwpnb2tBZEr4/s320/keys.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>I think it was his first day. He can't get the door open. I so badly wanted to take the tools from him and do it myself, because sometimes it's just common sense (and we know how that is). Finally I realize how easily my keys would be to grab with his glorified coat hanger thingy, and tell him that might be easier. It takes him a while, but finally...SUCCESS. Let me tell you something... if you have a bunch of big jingly things on your keys, get them off now. Here are my keys, and they barely fit through the crack in the door. If I had all kinds of stuff on there, I'd probably still be sitting at the car wash trying to figure out what to do with his body. PLEASE tell your teenage girls that think it's all cute to have ginormous key decor that it isn't! <p></p><p>As soon as I got in my car, I looked for my phone so I could contact my daughter's housemate to see if her keys are there. That's when I discovered I had left my phone at home...</p><p>I have decided that I need adult supervision. I don't know what awaits me tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure I can't handle it. I have decided to put myself up for adoption. If you can find it in your heart to adopt a crazy old lady that is a danger to herself and probably her pets, PLEASE... you know where to find me. I'm probably going to have to start drinking, so I'll come with alcohol (doesn't mean I'll share, don't get crazy now). <br /></p>Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-35894118602694480292023-06-24T22:11:00.000-05:002023-06-24T22:11:20.060-05:00Wedding Dress Update by Vanya Designs<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6S6CySYVarztbnPhjBILfMRra4BCAd_7_KoUZwUinCz7gbl6zuJJzQwySgshErlnviuxrrF4k6OZv-KPbycQB7WDd7g0wUiHtv432otR76VqVF5TQo0UYBbgJD0QrBuQvVRfg4wvV0AhrAMz9sA2ee-ZcpdY2xluGj1SiJjJJGoFDkoUJWWOWRqWM1oo7/s405/Linen-dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Linen dress" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="273" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6S6CySYVarztbnPhjBILfMRra4BCAd_7_KoUZwUinCz7gbl6zuJJzQwySgshErlnviuxrrF4k6OZv-KPbycQB7WDd7g0wUiHtv432otR76VqVF5TQo0UYBbgJD0QrBuQvVRfg4wvV0AhrAMz9sA2ee-ZcpdY2xluGj1SiJjJJGoFDkoUJWWOWRqWM1oo7/w135-h200/Linen-dress.jpg" title="Linen dress" width="135" /></a></div> My daughter bought this simple linen dress originally to get married in, and as it got closer to her wedding date, she started reconsidering her decision. She REALLY wanted a "real" wedding dress and she knew what style she wanted, but couldn't find it anywhere.<p></p><p>She had already tried on my wedding dress from 24 years ago, and it fit perfectly. And while it was NOT the style she was looking for, her creative mind saw more in it and had hidden the idea back in her mind that it might be converted to the dress she had envisioned. </p><p>So many weeks later, when we were almost out of time, she pulled the idea back out after we looked for some dresses that she might be happier with and our shopping trip fell flat. She tried my dress on again, and it really did look like we might be able to turn it into the dress of her dreams. Here is what we had to work with...<br /> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPB9K1aNkEI4Q9KxCmZ4RUXFf4vWGV1u6pb_c4db6flmr5USznc9E2QJLj2UMRuPL3S6RlmsAS-a5EAJvOYbe0x7nH4AEJBSObh1pKME97B4OdgiknLpCf7hGeWoTS2G699_E82z4eAAcixqTeQPtbdXKHrkDXjLTFaE5Wp7RZhnpvJr1G_NLA1Q-55KWp/s4032/Mom-dress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="JC Penney Wedding Dress 1999" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPB9K1aNkEI4Q9KxCmZ4RUXFf4vWGV1u6pb_c4db6flmr5USznc9E2QJLj2UMRuPL3S6RlmsAS-a5EAJvOYbe0x7nH4AEJBSObh1pKME97B4OdgiknLpCf7hGeWoTS2G699_E82z4eAAcixqTeQPtbdXKHrkDXjLTFaE5Wp7RZhnpvJr1G_NLA1Q-55KWp/w240-h320/Mom-dress.JPG" title="Vintage Wedding Dress" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me in 1999<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwu5hv2GP30GZo1TzKdEJHb1nJ1EsCkFFg8dN7UtDjsGoDNt3d0u0zNU2_zQ0_4pS-xybcFt6apsNsnptxTJCEGw9U7dWpMgvpz-xaAb3DzXHIGWensw4pHkbu4hCNezsOCCJ-MeAkZLFNfbrcrtQEwDf5IapllfwOUTYXhhHSL87rmi3IERfAZx5308HP/s4032/20-years.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="JC Penney Vintage Wedding Dress" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwu5hv2GP30GZo1TzKdEJHb1nJ1EsCkFFg8dN7UtDjsGoDNt3d0u0zNU2_zQ0_4pS-xybcFt6apsNsnptxTJCEGw9U7dWpMgvpz-xaAb3DzXHIGWensw4pHkbu4hCNezsOCCJ-MeAkZLFNfbrcrtQEwDf5IapllfwOUTYXhhHSL87rmi3IERfAZx5308HP/w240-h320/20-years.JPG" title="Wedding Dress Makeover" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the dress 24 years later<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Near Atlanta where I grew up, we had "JC Penney Outlet" and they had racks and racks of wedding dresses. That's where this dress came from. But I didn't buy it there. When I was 17, my mom found it at a garage sale for $50 and had me come try it on! It fit perfectly, and I had no idea when I would ever marry, but it was worth the purchase at that price. (I didn't get married until TEN years later!) This dress was made in the USA.</p><p>After we thought we might be able to make it work, Anna went out for the night, so while she was gone, I started chopping away at the dress. I was terrified. What if I ruined it?! Then I realized I didn't really care, and it was only $50! So this is how far I got before she came home and tried it on.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyFfPIcxEj2MMR1FR5JgP28cTAQKAGIelRzIm-lbm4EAz8zinm4KNH-w5kjmgUekzLHYy4f86D3CsKeZoEbi6ymMleWC15WzhqslxqfUG7JSqcb7PNJjavWbAuUcY_qCoJ_2NUAg4F1tUSgLbjtDwfCQjPE7SL_zwH6xyMPIzM9rvd4FZ-rTSMVT9kH1f/s687/dress-cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Vintage Wedding Dress Makeover" border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="575" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyFfPIcxEj2MMR1FR5JgP28cTAQKAGIelRzIm-lbm4EAz8zinm4KNH-w5kjmgUekzLHYy4f86D3CsKeZoEbi6ymMleWC15WzhqslxqfUG7JSqcb7PNJjavWbAuUcY_qCoJ_2NUAg4F1tUSgLbjtDwfCQjPE7SL_zwH6xyMPIzM9rvd4FZ-rTSMVT9kH1f/w268-h320/dress-cut.jpg" title="Wedding Dress Redesign" width="268" /></a></div><p>I think the pictures we took of the initial try on must be on her phone. But she said YESSSS. We tried to tuck the sleeve under to see if she would want the sleeve to stay on, or just have the lace, and it was a really hard decision. What wasn't a hard decision was where to get it finished. I can sew (kind of) but I was not about to try and finish this myself. So Anna called <a href="https://vanyadesigns.com/" target="_blank">Vanya Designs</a> and set up an appointment. Libbi helped us decide to lop off the sleeves. We also needed to add a slip, a new shorter zipper in the back, boning on the front (and later on the back), elastic to the lace over the arms, and a few other details that helped bring it all together. This is the first fitting after initial alterations, and it is not quite finished here, but it is my favorite picture showing the transition the dress has made. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk45A8eIdPE6etXyr6FpM0v7SnYBmpjjUjYD6tzxNPJF-DbC7aQu29KG_q6qM8ARvUWMk31GzY2-9iebAFSzH7BgVlrJGEPTHQnXPpNlRbycDiUak2ictrQz3EkgAhAFtkjAmk_fOtrRkdsxl4DmMH-qVDxApvOPB7nmVzvDRuNdCiEJDApo7TrRea6GI/s807/Dress-1st-fit.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Vintage Wedding Dress Makeover" border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="605" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk45A8eIdPE6etXyr6FpM0v7SnYBmpjjUjYD6tzxNPJF-DbC7aQu29KG_q6qM8ARvUWMk31GzY2-9iebAFSzH7BgVlrJGEPTHQnXPpNlRbycDiUak2ictrQz3EkgAhAFtkjAmk_fOtrRkdsxl4DmMH-qVDxApvOPB7nmVzvDRuNdCiEJDApo7TrRea6GI/w240-h320/Dress-1st-fit.jpg" title="Vintage Wedding Dress Redesign" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kzr9P61Z9m2EFrm8zaR8gkmgavJxsB8d7DF9tStANhDEGBKaRMU_Dp8dI6xWnwBzmn7ikZBf2MLBa0yGrHiXVHK6GQu3FjRrjVbn5z4PHOQaU-SKWurjk84zGea7ISYY8491jt8_YpSZoFp7fNmD3liSiB8pcbxp3ptOa1PDrMR1Km_a028IASu-gNas/s606/Dress-1st-front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="454" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kzr9P61Z9m2EFrm8zaR8gkmgavJxsB8d7DF9tStANhDEGBKaRMU_Dp8dI6xWnwBzmn7ikZBf2MLBa0yGrHiXVHK6GQu3FjRrjVbn5z4PHOQaU-SKWurjk84zGea7ISYY8491jt8_YpSZoFp7fNmD3liSiB8pcbxp3ptOa1PDrMR1Km_a028IASu-gNas/s320/Dress-1st-front.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>In the end, she was soooooooo glad we did this. You only get married once (well, she is!) and I'm glad we could make her wedding day dream come true. One of the interesting things about Anna is that as a little girl growing up with lots of time after she got her school work done, she used to take items from the trash and turn them into various items for her American Girl dolls! She blew me away with all the little things she made. It's interesting that she took this concept and used it as an adult and took something that seemed useless sitting in a Rubbermaid container and turned it into something useful again. And isn't she beautiful?!</p><p>Because you made it to the end, here is a candid shot I took during the wedding. They were kind of far away, so it's a little distorted, but you can still see their joy and beauty as they walk towards the front to get married. More on the wedding when the professional photographs are released...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6SHJQAZY-w50UmTfSbNn1q5nhBbpHWljY-lpFLYY8i3jAbkBCznVLK0CCXthkRjps0m4GkExwOEiHb0E0q1Q_Vsu7PmxeCjKw9Oe9BXRIzq5fjws8dEzKbuAcSlU3IO9SrvA9hpJyJsn5fTDxjiA9tHnlHuwASb8Q2zBJP1SOtNRv-ak0PEBHC3bNecZ/s624/Candid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6SHJQAZY-w50UmTfSbNn1q5nhBbpHWljY-lpFLYY8i3jAbkBCznVLK0CCXthkRjps0m4GkExwOEiHb0E0q1Q_Vsu7PmxeCjKw9Oe9BXRIzq5fjws8dEzKbuAcSlU3IO9SrvA9hpJyJsn5fTDxjiA9tHnlHuwASb8Q2zBJP1SOtNRv-ak0PEBHC3bNecZ/s320/Candid.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-7586059492915640782023-06-14T14:59:00.003-05:002023-06-14T14:59:42.447-05:00Red Food Dye WARNING<p> If you spend much time at home with a child who reacts to Red #40, you may have figured out on your own that something is amiss. That happened to me when my kids were 3 and 4. We had just moved across the country, and they were drinking a lot of Gatorade and snacking on junk, probably skittles. They were out of control. Their behavior is irrelevant, all you need to know is that when we went back to real foods, I got my sweet kids back. It was like night and day. It is criminal that Red #40 hasn't been banned like in other countries, and well, all the other artificial colors, too! Look for it in ingredients and AVOID! ALDI stores have committed to avoiding artificial colors. It's ridiculous how many foods (and meds!) have artificial colors in them. I buy a specific pickle, "Simply Pickles" from Mt. Olive because it doesn't contain Yellow #5. Check those pickle labels!</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJI7Hu-9yQ_ipMH91Z82Wie2r-C8U327jc4nzS0GezBZC1oP6rvEeg7RS8p_agOOVjvBPuJzZao7szbDibAGDwfMRdKqXmD0WZRI3aQp-LSQNfq39mz91Jq6CE6h5Dw60B6m9AJLA7rrAilHESw7b9Il2CygA0PWjS6Nz73GlYoTpn_-4vlFjuripBg/s10928/Red-Dye-40.webp" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="10928" data-original-width="9291" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJI7Hu-9yQ_ipMH91Z82Wie2r-C8U327jc4nzS0GezBZC1oP6rvEeg7RS8p_agOOVjvBPuJzZao7szbDibAGDwfMRdKqXmD0WZRI3aQp-LSQNfq39mz91Jq6CE6h5Dw60B6m9AJLA7rrAilHESw7b9Il2CygA0PWjS6Nz73GlYoTpn_-4vlFjuripBg/w544-h640/Red-Dye-40.webp" width="544" /></a></div><br /><p>For more info, and a great website, visit <a href="https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/brain-health-guide-red-dye-40/" target="_blank">Amen Clinics</a>.<br /></p>Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-4159289299642404842023-06-08T17:30:00.002-05:002023-06-24T22:14:54.381-05:00Refurbishing a Dresser - Again - Using Fabric Decopauge<p>See that girl ^^up there^^? When she was still in the womb, I refinished this dresser for her nursery. She is 20. So I decided it is time for a makeover. She is getting married in a couple of weeks, and has already re-furbished two dressers for herself, so this one is going to be mine now. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfcgtndi-uiYsCZIKMzcxoIBjMMS5PXfwfneIGjYuoxpu5AyI94uVs7h9mjeSdEsi0112Q9Nb0k9C3cX9MCS7SJLBwRZ7Z1o8_b_vVV0ZOjByQdFmk-_IyA8GeW8jLVcAIMyN7g4fDDicsCUjtbmDTXXwFmNI97iI2ROdjmzdtplAA2EXwSbTkDIRuA/s529/dresser2002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfcgtndi-uiYsCZIKMzcxoIBjMMS5PXfwfneIGjYuoxpu5AyI94uVs7h9mjeSdEsi0112Q9Nb0k9C3cX9MCS7SJLBwRZ7Z1o8_b_vVV0ZOjByQdFmk-_IyA8GeW8jLVcAIMyN7g4fDDicsCUjtbmDTXXwFmNI97iI2ROdjmzdtplAA2EXwSbTkDIRuA/s320/dresser2002.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /><p>I had purchased it at a garage sale probably, for around $20. All the paints were "oops" paints I had collected over time from Home Depot. The knobs were on clearance at Target, and the decals came from a wallpaper border that was on clearance ( I think it was one of those 4' wallpaper borders that might not exist anymore). I used Mod Podge to attach the decals, and probably sealed the whole dresser with it because the paints may have had different sheens- I can't really remember. </p><p>To remove the decals, I heated them up with an iron under parchment paper. That helped a little bit, but where the bottom part of the paper stayed attached in some areas, I used water to wet it and then scraped with a plastic scraper. I took this picture to show people what Mod Podge does over time. Most people know it "yellows," and now you can see to what extent. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNCygEU3QDsbnoSfaEFoZouFAMM6DNmXieEUAQ7fBKjfVBx86r4SargzcSg5HujXzeq8NnKHgsMHjjdvojdNebNN2Q5ZTerbjV91hdNBtmzbCO-mAzXcRgvVgERz-mCXMd_R9qXpRvMYJSyNl_MrjVBswV11xPaYGVOWk7ENB8iM00TNc4N4xizODxQ/s4032/IMG_2618.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Drawer before sanding" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNCygEU3QDsbnoSfaEFoZouFAMM6DNmXieEUAQ7fBKjfVBx86r4SargzcSg5HujXzeq8NnKHgsMHjjdvojdNebNN2Q5ZTerbjV91hdNBtmzbCO-mAzXcRgvVgERz-mCXMd_R9qXpRvMYJSyNl_MrjVBswV11xPaYGVOWk7ENB8iM00TNc4N4xizODxQ/w150-h200/IMG_2618.JPG" title="Mod Podge Yellowing over Time" width="150" /></a></div>To remove the paint, I first sanded. Then after my sister said, "Why don't you just use paint remover?" and the sanding got to be very tedious, I decided to try the paint remover we already had. Neither technique was fun and both required a certain amount of elbow grease and patience. There was a layer of paint as well as primer underneath what I painted, and now I see the benefit of removing the paint before adding on! <p></p><p>I didn't get a picture of the dresser all sanded and ready to paint. I think I was too exhausted, and excited to get a coat of paint on it! I chose Dixie Belle Silk All-In-One Mineral Paint in the color Sun Kissed which I purchased locally from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/generationsofwichita" target="_blank">Generations</a> in Wichita, KS. I had never used Dixie Belle before, but I chose the color because I already had knobs that I had gotten on clearance at Hobby Lobby. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7L3mhZnQnl4qqfE-FD76lVxIIQjidBm3BWvvmLLOVlS3u5Mxnxpgr-H1ZNlQusm3czj8Zm6lgKZD2vf6zziE6eEgag382O8Ykjg5G8xLRzVr3_AnJrZ4H_7UoSwpN4CJX9VL67Jn_pJkGnuwzVmn8aHfULDfLbMTKKFjwtXK8tFHria2OCyXmsEUqA/s578/Sun%20Kissed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sun Kissed by Dixie Belle" border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="578" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7L3mhZnQnl4qqfE-FD76lVxIIQjidBm3BWvvmLLOVlS3u5Mxnxpgr-H1ZNlQusm3czj8Zm6lgKZD2vf6zziE6eEgag382O8Ykjg5G8xLRzVr3_AnJrZ4H_7UoSwpN4CJX9VL67Jn_pJkGnuwzVmn8aHfULDfLbMTKKFjwtXK8tFHria2OCyXmsEUqA/w200-h199/Sun%20Kissed.jpg" title="Dixie Belle Silk All-In-One Mineral Paint" width="200" /></a></div><br />I was worried that I would need more paint because it went on so thick, but because it went on so thick, I only needed two full coats and then some spot checking on areas I didn't paint heavy enough. It only took HALF the container to paint the whole thing!<p></p><p>It's painted, but the best part is coming...I'm going to use fabric to decoupage this part!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3IinHXHbTYkSO7HgOow28oUyBt3PkyjrkvVlmVQcBKUUW2DkDAl4JHi1suylJbL9zgX_xP_byN3zeEOluLTGY4fPxlA_xMvmqD0LjDiY92Jc1E15WYNPB0SscxV8i5dp1Kj0U3ZYYNy_ka-zm4plTY8grJL_4lumAGFovgYq652MgugXLF4Njris7A/s4032/IMG_2650.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3IinHXHbTYkSO7HgOow28oUyBt3PkyjrkvVlmVQcBKUUW2DkDAl4JHi1suylJbL9zgX_xP_byN3zeEOluLTGY4fPxlA_xMvmqD0LjDiY92Jc1E15WYNPB0SscxV8i5dp1Kj0U3ZYYNy_ka-zm4plTY8grJL_4lumAGFovgYq652MgugXLF4Njris7A/w150-h200/IMG_2650.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><p>I taped off the part around where I decoupaged to keep that area clean and to be able to remove the fabric that got stuck to it rather than trying to scrape it off my new paint. I did a quick search on which medium I should use for this product, and thanks to <a href="https://youtu.be/nOAJUQiErZA" target="_blank">Deidre at Our Upcycled Life</a>, I think I chose the right medium. I used "Semi-Gloss" because it's what I already had, but want to mention that the dresser is matte and the fabric with semi-gloss polycrylic had a similar sheen to the matte paint.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq95lyHCL0mpbYs6PSvLuIboqjKD9N5Us5EBgDhpJwmemVuHbkWYq3i8Ul8DUIZP2IKbyIn2h-VL9zc8P6hu4aImaqRTGV9bw-VZ83J5F3Fk0H59kT8RBbOF79NG7ezbv9sdvPYGD_mb-5KQDQ4aOmGefA2YwCrxeMIPv2mSqs_Fw8YmKXfzgSM3ak8A/s2077/polycrylic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1843" data-original-width="2077" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq95lyHCL0mpbYs6PSvLuIboqjKD9N5Us5EBgDhpJwmemVuHbkWYq3i8Ul8DUIZP2IKbyIn2h-VL9zc8P6hu4aImaqRTGV9bw-VZ83J5F3Fk0H59kT8RBbOF79NG7ezbv9sdvPYGD_mb-5KQDQ4aOmGefA2YwCrxeMIPv2mSqs_Fw8YmKXfzgSM3ak8A/s320/polycrylic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The fabric I chose is a Pioneer Woman print. I only used a small portion of the pre-cut fabric, so I can use the rest to make or decoupage other things in the future. I matched this fabric to the knobs, but I couldn't believe how well the dresser matched. I was really looking for an off-white paint, but actually ended up liking the pale yellow color it turned out to be.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnciUSsOs0aRV4ZxEFOxOUS-ytnQQrCyfKlGyGkjHyp5Ywi-TprS666_ToSjAWRQfwcG8-ikD-uirngCYeUwKOR1mUD4_0NHmD2kZf_wsrhsk3n-xnDPaluizOro4ySLEWpBdU08aacegxrc3eGd6sryNAu5-sy5mEmpnJfqkTYy_e3s_Clu6pnTQ0Q/s4032/IMG_2653.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnciUSsOs0aRV4ZxEFOxOUS-ytnQQrCyfKlGyGkjHyp5Ywi-TprS666_ToSjAWRQfwcG8-ikD-uirngCYeUwKOR1mUD4_0NHmD2kZf_wsrhsk3n-xnDPaluizOro4ySLEWpBdU08aacegxrc3eGd6sryNAu5-sy5mEmpnJfqkTYy_e3s_Clu6pnTQ0Q/s320/IMG_2653.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>While the polycrylic dried, I started removing the tags from the knobs. And I also needed to change out the contact paper. Here is the old and new. I forgot to clean out one of the drawers before adding the contact paper and it didn't stick. So I had a little waste, but I'm glad I only paid $1.99 for the roll at Goodwill! <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZKZ8MNVZClRr2Vw1W_OwuNd9uunYx-3_gX0ZQhJn9OzrgwL_bFY-Wj-Ww1SNAcdG7FsP7lxzObtT5IkjMwXd8P-nqmy0Z9U2Of7pHGGzn4aqvo6WHRJ9SSDLdMFDpYgMy74tIjJ-tn3Hyq35_wGWCm_xyHKeeoscr9AGqt4kdRyyUFQVvc_g_ovCvA/s4032/IMG_2652.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZKZ8MNVZClRr2Vw1W_OwuNd9uunYx-3_gX0ZQhJn9OzrgwL_bFY-Wj-Ww1SNAcdG7FsP7lxzObtT5IkjMwXd8P-nqmy0Z9U2Of7pHGGzn4aqvo6WHRJ9SSDLdMFDpYgMy74tIjJ-tn3Hyq35_wGWCm_xyHKeeoscr9AGqt4kdRyyUFQVvc_g_ovCvA/w150-h200/IMG_2652.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKGPboBy4-6kDT1jdE7T-KSPxGWWv0tdDsabkwIWa9sudq8c_HX5V08utwjtSeEfn_us0axTpYBk2wo3c3E-fzXBFwM-zzn33_EM-dqxptUzx4w3x4F53B6QcI6aQm6B_tskdZSSnJVg7e1LiC8VCr5ZKhXgmIgyLMKQRlvcpZaC--Je4d0zZ5kMnYA/s4032/IMG_2656.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKGPboBy4-6kDT1jdE7T-KSPxGWWv0tdDsabkwIWa9sudq8c_HX5V08utwjtSeEfn_us0axTpYBk2wo3c3E-fzXBFwM-zzn33_EM-dqxptUzx4w3x4F53B6QcI6aQm6B_tskdZSSnJVg7e1LiC8VCr5ZKhXgmIgyLMKQRlvcpZaC--Je4d0zZ5kMnYA/w150-h200/IMG_2656.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><p><br />Are you ready to see the final product?! BUT WAIT! There's more... I had to make some repairs on the drawers while I was working on the dresser, and I figured out why. So I added these quarter-round PVC pieces from Home Depot to give the drawers a little more support and to make it easier for the drawers to slide. I attached these with caulk. I had seen a video previously where people used it on trim on their house, and I had to use it in some places in my bathroom and saw how well they held, so I figured, why not? This actually worked great, and the drawers slid much easier.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtxkAh3mlGLdcZWhLLEYK9kMv0ohb62cuXQ0OUcLSScbs_362TXi10TEiSpADH55N5hhkq3_4_we-Ktzv7UArhZtixd12lqdlkoJ8BUR32-2yOglX76ekX0UObPjiRoVNZc1C-sijTk7ZrKog1ehCocrrhDVEa1dIdIbb5A5Ytf2V1ks899gr7FNYmg/s4032/IMG_2659.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtxkAh3mlGLdcZWhLLEYK9kMv0ohb62cuXQ0OUcLSScbs_362TXi10TEiSpADH55N5hhkq3_4_we-Ktzv7UArhZtixd12lqdlkoJ8BUR32-2yOglX76ekX0UObPjiRoVNZc1C-sijTk7ZrKog1ehCocrrhDVEa1dIdIbb5A5Ytf2V1ks899gr7FNYmg/s320/IMG_2659.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p>But I also used some of this on the middle brace where it was still wood on wood. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJ3FpzA1L0D49m0xWkxUBs6kgR9f8OxsoMyMZ2A7cezzUnXH2A476ZSPlQC1p1KnzNCyTr2igDZiagrawBDJw0uEk0DYHs0cVzOKShN1qC0vNNj83QfBqEr5x8_4cOwjso5g4vsFJu7-W0u-ZX1ilp9qq4VBj7qZj0J6Jp-9AcbRGJbvQdUFGJ-6xJg/s4032/IMG_2657.JPG"><img alt="Helps Wood Drawer Slide" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJ3FpzA1L0D49m0xWkxUBs6kgR9f8OxsoMyMZ2A7cezzUnXH2A476ZSPlQC1p1KnzNCyTr2igDZiagrawBDJw0uEk0DYHs0cVzOKShN1qC0vNNj83QfBqEr5x8_4cOwjso5g4vsFJu7-W0u-ZX1ilp9qq4VBj7qZj0J6Jp-9AcbRGJbvQdUFGJ-6xJg/w240-h320/IMG_2657.JPG" title="Howard Feed N Wax" width="240" /></a></div><p>If you can't find it locally, you can find it at <a href="https://amzn.to/3qvN1vY" target="_blank">Amazon</a>! </p><p>And now.... the finished product! What do you think? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjs7O2t3JlA2RIw3vWJ19s3zpukDvyA_L0XHmj4ZlOclRXlEG5I6YmMXl64oe8CDgSoi6MGOfPRhfYQPYB5-EBoC9oVN2RmASOi43vXdksBm1F3FMspeCUWNDLXOPY5zNhEqSTTFi7v-7-5fOrD5J9otmPtRkiVNLddSgjl-YIQoIee0bzVZxJh3arA/s4032/dresser2023.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjs7O2t3JlA2RIw3vWJ19s3zpukDvyA_L0XHmj4ZlOclRXlEG5I6YmMXl64oe8CDgSoi6MGOfPRhfYQPYB5-EBoC9oVN2RmASOi43vXdksBm1F3FMspeCUWNDLXOPY5zNhEqSTTFi7v-7-5fOrD5J9otmPtRkiVNLddSgjl-YIQoIee0bzVZxJh3arA/w480-h640/dresser2023.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>I forgot about the <a href="https://amzn.to/3P341UH" target="_blank">wheels</a>! The original wheels were long gone. The dresser had been moved to 5 different houses in 20 years, and across the country. It happens! But I like these better. </p><p>If you think THIS is a transformation, I can't wait to show you <a href="https://www.stay-at-home-child.com/2023/06/wedding-dress-update-by-vanya-designs.html" target="_blank">how this dress from my wedding 24 years ago shows up at my daughter's wedding</a>! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYeF3NKPVLt4Qz1VpXTnz97GU68iT1WAitMsJUDmC5jXMdX4sHAUXeM2eGYbkOR9zYRPHTlIx06Cn74nvu_tuRlZz0Of6amzznmsgzHlqeIsQa8-bFpQtSSXQqHXfaNbGE6fxoeVw_rMXGt-vEoMhKnv9CCpf0gVhgYmCXFX4hmgM3idfAEOTwbPyhw/s4032/IMG_2533%5B1%5D.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYeF3NKPVLt4Qz1VpXTnz97GU68iT1WAitMsJUDmC5jXMdX4sHAUXeM2eGYbkOR9zYRPHTlIx06Cn74nvu_tuRlZz0Of6amzznmsgzHlqeIsQa8-bFpQtSSXQqHXfaNbGE6fxoeVw_rMXGt-vEoMhKnv9CCpf0gVhgYmCXFX4hmgM3idfAEOTwbPyhw/s320/IMG_2533%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-39280597843069689922023-05-17T23:51:00.001-05:002023-05-17T23:52:35.955-05:00Growing Food with Kids<p>If you haven't grown food with your kids yet, NOW is the time to start! The best way to start is to let your child pick what he wants to grow. Let him do the research, or help him do it (it's nice when they learn a cell phone is good for research, too!) A lot of things can be grown in a pot. The easiest thing for me has been herbs and a lettuce table. Lettuce grows quickly, and herbs can be used regularly to add different flavors to dinner. I even use herbs for my smoothies sometimes, and they can definitely be tossed in to salads as well. If your child picks something that can take all summer to grow (like watermelon) I would start some lettuce or herbs that you can grow while you wait to harvest your watermelon.</p><p>Learning to grow food is more important now than ever before. We are NOT food secure. I don't want to elaborate on this, but we just simply need to be more self-sustaining than we currently are. It is a great idea to add gardening to your homeschool curriculum. There are so many things that kids can learn through gardening, like building planter boxes, how to keep soil healthy, composting, water storage, saving seeds, and even canning. It's science, history, math, reading, and exercise! </p><p>I forgot to mention, playing in the dirt is also healthy. It helps with grounding, and your kids are also getting fresh air and sunshine. As that sneaker company says, JUST DO IT!</p><p><br /></p>
<a target="_blank" href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=2098501&u=3318899&m=123155&urllink=&afftrack="><img src="https://static.shareasale.com/image/123155/Design-04.jpg" border="0" /></a>Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-90753548228497520772023-05-17T23:33:00.002-05:002023-05-17T23:33:32.985-05:00I CANNOT BELIEVE...<p> THAT MY LAST POST WAS IN 2017!! WHAT??!!</p><p>My Stay at Home Children are now 22 and married, and 20 and getting married in just over a month. I guess you could say, I've been busy. I started working full time outside the home...I just realized it was literally right after my last post! That explains it. I'm back with some things to share soon, but I'll have to postpone it a bit until things are ready. </p><p>I know homeschooling has IMMENSELY increased in popularity, especially since that virus kept kids home for a while and parents realized they didn't approve of what or how their kids were being taught. That virus did a lot of good for kids! </p><p>But also we are seeing the down side of social media and the movement that is happening regarding gender. I can't believe how bad things have gotten! </p><p>Buckle up, parents! Things are getting bumpy, but we've still got kids to bring up! <br /></p>Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-76116157651335001742017-10-24T12:28:00.001-05:002017-10-24T12:45:38.034-05:00Is this graph misleading?If you didn't come here from <b><a href="http://www.stay-at-home-child.com/2017/10/statistics-should-be-required.html" target="_blank">this page</a></b>, please go there first!<br />
The answer is below this graph.Click on image to make graph larger.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgJ75fi1fAG7Z2idlZEogpJs7do0yqsEhRNhkYZZul7ZP8DkG4qRML2icwLduDoRezA0GdfNIhLnq6SQS3iYbNAS7WWpjTTlGWRmOa4cTsPr5PH0QcFU6dbpyONyD4wNp4XAc4dFI8cBQ/s1600/sids-graph.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="746" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgJ75fi1fAG7Z2idlZEogpJs7do0yqsEhRNhkYZZul7ZP8DkG4qRML2icwLduDoRezA0GdfNIhLnq6SQS3iYbNAS7WWpjTTlGWRmOa4cTsPr5PH0QcFU6dbpyONyD4wNp4XAc4dFI8cBQ/s400/sids-graph.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The first thing you should notice is that the number for 1980 is 153, and the number for 2010 is 51.6, which is a 66% drop (as stated in the text above the graph). You know that 66% is a little more than 50%, so the bar for 2010 should be a little more than 50% shorter than the bar for 1980.<br />
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If you literally measure on the screen, you actually get about a 95% drop by only looking at the bars. The image does not match up with the data.<br />
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But how did this happen? I will put the answer underneath this in white text. Highlight it if you want to see the answer or some hints first!<br />
Hint: <span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Look at the numbers going vertically on the left hand side. Could they have been spaced differently?</span></span><br />
Hint: <span style="color: white;">Look at the starting number.</span><br />
Hint: <span style="color: white;">What would make the two bars closer to the 66% difference?</span><br />
Answer: <span style="color: white;">The number in the corner starts at 40, and then it jumps by 20 each time. Imagine if that number were 50 instead. It would look like SIDS rates were 0 in 2010, wouldn't it? What number should be in the corner?</span><br />
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If you want to try different ideas to see how they affect a graph's appearance, <b><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/" target="_blank">here is a great page</a></b>! <br />
Just take some of the stats off this graph, or even just the largest and smallest and see what you can change to affect the bars and make them match the data.<br />
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Keep this in mind if you should ever need to create your own graph for a project!<br />
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<br />Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-12270708944313109532017-10-24T12:27:00.001-05:002017-11-03T22:08:25.374-05:00Statistics Should Be Required<span data-offset-key="5vnp8-0-0"><span data-text="true">The most useful college class I took was statistics, and I still find it useful. Here is a great exercise for your kids! Is this graph misleading in any way? See what they think. I'll just leave this here and if someone has questions, just ask! This skill is SO important given that almost all information is often presented in graph form (often to mislead). I'm sure you've seen this repeatedly in regards to politics. Click on image to see larger.</span></span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="5vnp8-0-0"><span data-text="true">If you can't figure out how this graph is misleading, or you want to know if it even is, <b><a href="http://www.stay-at-home-child.com/2017/10/is-this-graph-misleading.html" target="_blank">here is the answer</a></b>!</span></span>Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-3008576617531609382017-09-28T12:16:00.000-05:002017-09-28T12:16:34.454-05:00Spend Time With Your KidsIt's been over two years since I've posted to this blog. As a single mom doing 100% of this parenting thing on my own, I've gotten a little too busy at times, and my kids have grown up right before my eyes! They are now almost 15 and 16 years old, and I've only got a few years left to spend with them as "children." The reason I'm posting today is because of the people who don't appreciate that importance.<br />
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I have been *triggered.*<br />
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Today in a facebook group which may as well be called "Selfish Leftist Single Moms" because I think there might be three conservatives in it, a woman posted asking how she can find rides for her children after school to her boyfriend's house because she and her boyfriend have been talking about how they can spend more time together.<br />
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Facepalm.<br />
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As if it's not bad enough that marriages are falling apart, we have parents who are too busy pursuing their own relationships to even drive their own kids to be stuck at the dude's house! How about figuring out how you can spend more quality time with the kids? How about figuring out what activities they might want to do after school, or do those activities with them? If you aren't seeing your kids all day because they are in school, WHAT are you doing as a parent?<br />
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It is one thing if you have to work two jobs to pay the bills. It is completely another to take time away from your own kids for some random dude, or to put your relationship before your kids. I don't even care if they like him. Chances are, the relationship won't last. It will be another man who came in and out of their lives, all the while they have been raised by the schools and the internet, because they have no bond with their primary parent. Kids have gone from spending the majority of their days with family, to the majority of their days being away from their family, or ignored because of technological advances such as iPhones, internet, and Netflix.<br />
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I've seen parents lost in their own phones at restaurants. If you want to know what's wrong with kids today, use that phone to look it up! They are being pushed aside, ignored, replaced, and expected to suck it up when they are neglected because Mom or Dad wants to put themselves first (which seems to happen a lot these days). Of course on the other end of the spectrum there are kids who rule the roost at their homes and are given everything their little hearts' desire, and that's another post for another day.<br />
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Spend time with your kids. Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-29364098991166811372015-02-12T09:49:00.002-06:002015-02-12T09:49:48.352-06:00Do Homeschoolers Need Letter Grades?When my kids attended public school for a year, the concept of "grades" was new to them. They were only in third and fourth grades, but had never experienced the quarterly grades or "report cards" that public school families use to measure what has been learned.<br />
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Even as I type that, "what has been learned," I slightly cringe. It's assumed that if a student has straight A's that they have "learned" everything expected of him. But the truth is, all it means is that the student has simply completed everything expected of him, which has nothing to do with what he has actually learned.<br />
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If you look at grades, they are often weighted by participation, whether it is getting homework done, participating in a group project, or sometimes simply showing up. As a matter of fact, they are so subjective sometimes, they are not worth much to anyone. When I was a para for special education students, looking at report cards from one student to another told you nothing about what those students learned. One really smart kid could have a worse report card than another "low IQ" student who could barely read, simply because the requirements for each were different.<br />
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What is the point of grades? Well, really, isn't it to make the parents feel good? To let them know that their kid is doing what's expected of him? That's about it, really.<br />
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The question remains, do homeschoolers need letter grades? The true answer is...it depends.<br />
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Most homeschoolers work on a subject until the information is learned. If a test is given, we know if the student learned anything, or how much he learned. If the test reveals "not much learned" then we can repeat what should have been learned and go about it a different way. We hardly ever test. As a matter of fact, science is the only subject we test, and not until 7th grade. Because we test in science, we "could" have a letter grade for the course. But as of right now, we aren't keeping up with it. For homeschoolers who don't "do tests" of course they aren't going to have letter grades, unless they want to throw up a subjective grade based on the kids' overall performance.<br />
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Letter grades are often given once a homeschooler reaches high school courses, so that a more "official" transcript can be kept. Also, this is a good transition to grades they will receive in college. There is nothing wrong with reminding kids how their work will be evaluated by college professors and making sure they know that every test they take will count toward one letter in the end. They need to know this. I've been saying it since about 7th grade.<br />
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Another reason to give letter grades is for children who are non-compliant. My children participate in many extra-curricular activities. If I feel they are not meeting standards, keeping grades is a good way to measure this, for both me and them. I haven't done it yet, but I have stated something similar to, "Right now you are doing C work, which is not good enough for you." But I haven't felt it necessary to REALLY keep track and hang that letter over their heads. Mostly this is because if they don't meet standards, we have ALLLLL summer to get work done ;)<br />
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The difference between home school and "other" school is this: At home, we can study something until it is learned. At school, we have a small window to learn something before the class has to move on, and hopefully we were "on" that day and didn't miss the opportunity. THIS is why homeschooled kids tend to be better educated at the end of 12 years of learning. However either is graded, the reality is that homeschoolers have the opportunity to take more time when necessary, and "other" schooled don't. Whether you throw a grade at their work or not, learning is happening. <br />
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No, we don't "need" letter grades. Sometimes there is a benefit, but most times there is not. The good thing is, we can make that decision for each child. One of the many benefits of homeschooling...Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-80213505971233241722015-01-28T11:43:00.003-06:002015-01-28T11:47:00.512-06:00How to Teach MathIf I had to give this post a subtitle, it would be... "And Why the Schools Do It Wrong." It isn't because the teachers are bad (just as homeschooling parents aren't bad teachers), but it's the way things are done. The "system" doesn't work. <br />
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For example... Typically a kid learns a new concept in class, and is then sent home with practice problems to work. If he did every single problem wrong at home, he won't find out until the next day (if he's lucky), right before the teacher moves on to the next concept. This makes no sense.<br />
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The reason one on one education is superior to classroom teaching is because the teacher is available for immediate feedback. If a child doesn't do something correctly or misunderstands a concept, the teacher sees it, corrects it, and the child is back on the path. Well, usually...<br />
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Because a lot of parents use the same school system to teach their kids at home, their kids are not benefiting from the one one one instruction in the best way. If your child is doing 20 problems on his own and then you are grading it later, you have just wasted your child's time if he didn't work the problems correctly. And he has just re-enforced the incorrect method to solve the problems. I actually figured this out through working with my own kids. For one full year, I worked with both of my kids every day, with every problem. If they had 20 problems to work, we did them on the white board together. So if they got stumped, I was there to guide their thinking correctly. They were never able to "think wrong" and think they were right. I was able to stop and re-teach a concept if necessary, or explain it in a different way.<br />
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When my kids hit 6th and 7th grades, I decided to give Teaching Textbooks (TT) a try. I love teaching math, but it was getting overwhelming. The TT method works really well. They learn a concept, and then do some practice problems (as well as review problems). If they miss the practice problem, they know right away. Additionally, they can click a button to learn how to work a problem correctly. I love this.<br />
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If you use a different curriculum but have a lot of kids and not enough time, an alternative is to allow your kids to have the answers to their problems so they can self check as they go. You can't do this with younger kids, but you will know when your kid has reached the age where this will work. <br />
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The way to teach math is by providing immediate feedback, one problem at a time. Whether you do it, or the computer does it, or the answer sheet does it, a kid needs to know if he's on the right track WHILE he's on it. Following a system at home that doesn't work for the public schools is probably creating unnecessary frustration in your home.Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-16897782756863051912014-10-09T00:13:00.001-05:002014-10-09T11:17:42.380-05:00Hydrogen Peroxide Can Do That?You probably already know a couple of good uses for hydrogen peroxide ("peroxide"), and there is a list going around with a plethora of uses for it. But I don't think these two are spoken for yet. I use peroxide for EVERYTHING, so it's my go-to product when germs or bacteria might be causing issues.<br />
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When I washed off my vacuum cleaner filter recently, I noticed it had a mildew smell once it dried. I couldn't just pop it back in, so I decided to see what would happen if I squirted some peroxide on it. All I can say is "Eeeeewww." It BUBBLED like crazy. And it bubbled out caked on dust that I thought I had rinsed off! I let it bubble out, rinsed, and then doused it with peroxide again and rinsed. When dry, the smell was gone. GONE! I couldn't believe it. I mean, I'm not sure why because I use it all the time, but it still amazes me.<br />
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I also use peroxide for my flip flops when they get stinky. So when my son's entire room made me gag because of the stench of his soccer shoes and shin guards, I got out my handy dandy bottle of peroxide. I removed his shoe liners and doused them in peroxide. No kidding, they practically started bubbling before it hit them. I think they even smoked. I squirted some on the inside as well, which bubbled, but not as drastically. The shin guards came out smelling like new, but the inside of the shoes will need more treatments than we have time for right now. Going forward, I will make a habit of removing the liners after practice and treating them once a week with peroxide. I will be spraying them with a concoction of essential oils as well.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOaE4841XV9GP7DSijjgvNrSo8Vq2yaZA1gKuq-Um_iG_z0zl66gcAGcsvGr46ZznsUOIeTJwYoQnErSmRwCgKeclu6dO8kPo30ZlLVoQFyhMa5Fm3eYb_8j9qEjFlyhVh6RQEUML4NLq/s1600/DSCN4815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOaE4841XV9GP7DSijjgvNrSo8Vq2yaZA1gKuq-Um_iG_z0zl66gcAGcsvGr46ZznsUOIeTJwYoQnErSmRwCgKeclu6dO8kPo30ZlLVoQFyhMa5Fm3eYb_8j9qEjFlyhVh6RQEUML4NLq/s320/DSCN4815.JPG" /></a></div>
Anyway, just thought I would share these two tips because I know it will help keep your house and shoes germ-free. Of course you can clean with peroxide as well. I regularly soak my sponges with it. It is SO cheap, and such a great staple to keep on hand for its many practical uses. Oh yeah, it can be used for boo-boos as well! ;)Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-40532417967237708552014-09-05T10:12:00.001-05:002014-09-05T10:56:27.389-05:00Common Core PropagandaToday in my facebook feed, there were FIVE references (so far) to this same "Common Core" video. Attached were numerous (sometimes thousands!) of comments about how Common Core math is dumbing down our kids, how this method is stupid, how people can't believe our kids are being taught this, etc. The funny thing is, all these "Common Core" math concept videos are just showing what kids have been learning for AGES and it's sad that parents have had no clue what their kids have been taught.<br />
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Before I go further and lose all my anti Common Core folks, I *am* against Common Core, simply for the fact that it is 100% about federal control of our schools. Even if they included in Common Core curriculum everything I agree with (didn't happen BEFORE Common Core, probably isn't happening now), I would be against federal control of our schools. I am against a federal agency tracking my children and keeping records of everything they say, do, or believe from the day they set foot in a school. Additionally, even if I agreed with everything included in the Common Core curriculum, what about when they change something? Am I supposed to believe that someone who doesn't even live in the same community knows what's best for my children?<br />
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That said, I believe the videos and pictures going around against "Common Core" are doing us all a disservice. First, they are improperly blaming Common Core for methods that have been used for years. Common Core did not invent any new way of doing anything! It simply took methods of teaching concepts that were already being used. Second, they are distracting us from the real problem, which I stated above, the federal takeover of schools. Here is the video that is making its rounds this week:<br />
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Now... most of the comments against this method are, "Why can't our poor, coddled kids just learn to memorize the facts like we had to?!" This is just a plain ignorant statement. As I've stated before in <a href="http://www.stay-at-home-child.com/2014/06/not-common-core.html" target="_blank">another post</a>, people want to be so against Common Core, they don't really even pay attention to what's going on in the math, or they immediately "don't understand it." Either I'm just WAY better at math than most Americans, or having a teaching degree and learning numerous methods of teaching math allows me to see what they do not.<br />
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The method in the video has been around for ages. While that problem in particular is simple, use the same concept for a harder problem and it allows kids (and adults) to do mental math without writing anything down. For instance, if you need to add 59 + 13, can you see how looking at it like 60 + 12 is much easier to solve in your head? You would be using the same concept as in the video. Of course, anytime you first teach a new concept you use simple numbers like 9 + 6. And to the people who have said, (and I can't believe they did), "Well after they wrote all that down, I've already come up with the answer because I've memorized the fact," you are missing the point. This is not taught so that kids don't have to memorize "the nines." It's taught so they can do these things in their heads and NOT write anything down. Writing it down is how the method is taught, which is pretty useful for the visual learners, eh?<br />
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This video was clearly on a news program and is going viral on facebook. This makes me realize that it's possible that these "examples of Common Core" are now being used to make us forget what really IS wrong with Common Core. It's a sort of propaganda...a smoke screen if you will. Also known as a <a href="http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/red-herring.html" target="_blank">red herring</a>, or wild goose chase. Don't fall for this. Don't start thinking that if we just remove a few "crazy math" teaching methods, Common Core will be okay. It's also bringing out all the parents whose kids were already attending failing public schools, as if Common Core is the reason they are failing (remember "No Child Left Behind"?)! Schools were already dumbing down our kids before Common Core, and NOW they have a problem. I guess that's a good thing. Nothing wrong with being more aware, but don't prove that your own school dumbed you down by falling for the wrong reasons.<br />
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As a side note, I have noticed that my Libertarian friends see the real issue with Common Core, my Republican friends share "I can't believe this new Common Core math!" memes to the point they go viral, and Democrats are largely silent. I'm going to leave you with that and let you think about it a minute.<br />
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Is it really about our kids, or politics? Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-58884909055302594612014-08-15T22:04:00.004-05:002023-03-21T22:41:49.743-05:00Trampoline FunWhen we rented a house for three years, my kids knew that the lease stated "no trampolines," so the week after we purchased a house this past May, I bet you can guess what they started begging for! They wanted the trampoline before we moved into the rental, but I wasn't about to purchase one that I had to move, so they had probably been wanting one for 4-5 years! We had already raised the money through consignment sale proceeds, so it was just a matter of getting to it. We are now proud owners of a 15' <a href="https://amzn.to/3LHenrn" target="_blank">Skywalker trampoline</a> like this one:
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEODBputwkwBGUsNcjVQlrUHhp1FLHdtFQpu8Feefb1Wx4KKtKprS9m1zHMQJlCFiW4MS_Ps9CG3zpnzXP1xIJr6_VhSUMf47mb8pK141M23y6VohDPWtzt6daTDYYHgcZNiQ4ASn8Qm5yPE8i9-KvjtZmrH3yFfkGbNs4cmBR1jG8uY7z-Tj-dlhyg/s760/Skywalker-trampoline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEODBputwkwBGUsNcjVQlrUHhp1FLHdtFQpu8Feefb1Wx4KKtKprS9m1zHMQJlCFiW4MS_Ps9CG3zpnzXP1xIJr6_VhSUMf47mb8pK141M23y6VohDPWtzt6daTDYYHgcZNiQ4ASn8Qm5yPE8i9-KvjtZmrH3yFfkGbNs4cmBR1jG8uY7z-Tj-dlhyg/w184-h200/Skywalker-trampoline.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">My kids are 11 and 13 now, and you might think after a few weeks they would be bored with it already. However, even though it has been amazingly hot outside, they have continued to jump on it! They are learning skills like front flips and my daughter is working on her cheerleading jumps. It's great exercise and they come inside all sweaty, even when they jump in the cooler temps. My son has had knee problems for the past couple of years, so I'm hoping that the jumping is improving his muscle tone and endurance without straining his knee. He seems to think it's working. His goal is to slam dunk in basketball eventually!</p><p style="text-align: left;">I do think there is something to be said for making children learn patience with things they want. Both of my kids are really busy, and you would think they wouldn't have time for jumping on a trampoline. But they make time for it because they really appreciate having a trampoline FINALLY.<br />
I know a lot of people have gotten hurt on trampolines, but the net on this one is very safe. As you can see in the picture, the covered springs are on the outside of the net. Also, the net really does work as far as "catching" a jumper if he misjudges his landing. I believe it's caught both of my kids' faces so far LOL. We do have it staked down so it doesn't end up in the neighbor's yard. I've heard many horror stories about that as well. If you get a trampoline, please make sure to stake it down!</p>Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-81274810001716964782014-07-30T20:03:00.000-05:002017-01-01T21:54:51.474-06:00Smart Kids Who Hate to WriteA few years ago, I heard Dianne Craft speak at our homeschool conference. She answered questions I never really knew I had, and I left equipped to "fix" my kids. My son hated writing. He also had little quirks about him that I just wrote off as "him" and found out he probably had nutritional needs that weren't being met. My daughter had a touch of attention problems, which is really what led me to focus on the Dianne Craft lectures, but once there I realized my son needed more help than she did.<br />
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He is a boy, so I never really grew too concerned when his writing was "off," even when his younger sister wrote much earlier and even better than him. Because she's a girl, after all, and wasn't that normal?<br />
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You would think I'd run home and start the protocol I'd gotten from the conference, but I didn't. As a matter of fact, it was a full year before I started it, and yes, I'm hanging my head in shame as I type this. It was actually not his writing that prompted me to start the "Writing Eight" exercises. It was basketball. I remembered Mrs. Craft speaking on how these writing exercises were often used by basketball teams to improve ball handling. I noticed that year how a pass would go directly to him, and somehow right THROUGH his hands. It happened about four times in one game. I couldn't believe it, and even though I have it on video, I STILL can't tell you how he missed them. So I knew something was not right.<br />
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He started the "Writing Eight" exercises when he started 7th grade. I can't remember how long it took before I noticed the results, but he did them Monday through Friday, for most of the school year. Basketball starts in November, so at most, it was about three months after beginning the program. Even though he was going through a HUGE growth spurt and had problems with his knees, his ability on the court was WELL improved from the seasons prior. I couldn't believe it. His improvement amazed me, but that's not the first thing that happened. In October, for the first time that I know of, he drew these cute little cats on our white board.<br />
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I literally don't remember him ever choosing on his own, without it being a requirement, to draw ANYTHING, at least not "publicly." He hated coloring as a child, hated drawing, and he certainly wasn't going around drawing for other people to see! (Yes, that's a dunce cap on his sister's cat...you can't fix everything at once!)<br />
<br />
I knew it had to be the Writing Eight exercises. Then when basketball started up, I just knew we were on the right path. He also no longer complains about writing. He is more confident, more secure, and more "centered" if that makes sense. He's more comfortable in his own skin, even though he's in the most insecure time period of his life!<br />
<br />
I wanted to share this so that others who don't get to hear Dianne Craft speak can learn about ways of helping their own children. <a href="http://stores.diannecraft.org/smart-kids-who-hate-to-write/" target="_blank">Smart Kids Who Hate to Write</a> is the program she provides to parents. Check it out! I hope it blesses your child like it did mine!<br />
Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-88670665353709043482014-07-03T23:03:00.000-05:002014-07-03T23:03:15.747-05:00Dance Class or Private Lessons?I want to preface what I'm about to say with the fact that I am a thrifty kind of mom. I have to be, because I'm a single mom and I'm not rolling in the dough. So anytime I'm going to sign my kids up for something, I have to ask, "Can we afford this?"<br />
<br />
Now that my daughter is 11 years old, I can look back on the decisions we made for her dance training and state with some degree of certainty what was a mistake, and what I would have done differently if I knew better. <br />
<br />
When she was four, she took her first group class. It was the typical recital where girls on stage had no clue what they were doing, except for every five seconds where they would do their thing and then get lost again. Complete waste of money and time. Thankfully, my daughter didn't want to dance anymore after that, because she really preferred doing her own dances at home anyway. Yay for me!<br />
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When she was six, she was a cheerleader for football at our local football league and did SUCH a great job learning the cheers and dances that she decided to start taking a dance and gymnastics class at the same studio she went to at age four. She joined in December, and did great at the spring recital. <br />
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The following year, she still wanted to dance, but we chose to drive an hour away for a dance studio at the YMCA. The next year, she tried out for the competition team at the same YMCA and made it! Not only did she make it, but she was one out of two, and the youngest, who was added to the veteran competitors who were more advanced. She was excited. (By this time, we had moved to Wichita, where the competitive team was located!)<br />
<br />
Then the "girl crap" started. I probably don't have to elaborate, but I will just say there were some bratty girls in dance class who made dance class a little less fun than it should have been. By Thanksgiving she was ready to quit, and by Nationals, she decided not only was she not going to compete the following year, but she was not going to dance at ALL. <br />
<br />
What a difference a year makes! Now, I'm fairly certain that the problem stemmed from the fact that she is homeschooled and has never been programmed to think this girl behavior is okay. It's not that she couldn't deal with it, it's that she didn't see the point. Why spend HOURS with girls every week who are more focused on creating drama than on dancing? I mean, she was there to become a better dancer, but instead, she decided it wasn't worth the trouble. <br />
<br />
Now, however, I have figured out the solution. I always thought her dance teachers were adequate. I never had many complaints about that, other than some unneccessary yelling and a little bit of favoritism that a few girls received. The teachers were a little immature, but I never knew (or thought about the fact) that they might be inferior in their instructing. I was not a dancer, so what did I know? In any case, we have found an AMAZING dance teacher who also happens to be a homeschool mom. My daughter has been taking small classes off and on with her for the past year, and she has learned more with her than she ever would have if she had stayed at the other studios. I think this is partly because the teacher is better, but also because the individual attention is MUCH more beneficial to dancers than taking group classes. Why is this?<br />
<br />
When she was in group classes, there were so many different levels of ability. If one teacher is teaching ten girls, those ten girls might all be doing something wrong. And more than likely they are all doing something different wrong. How can all those things be corrected in a timely fashion? While larger dance classes are cheaper, how much is a child really being taught, other than how to do the dance that they will be performing at recital?<br />
<br />
My daughter has not had a recital in two years, since she quit competitive dance. She has learned more about dance and the correct way to do things, because it was taught and corrected on the spot. She is learning combinations and has focused on ballet, jazz and contemporary, as well as musical theatre, since that's what she loves. In the end, I have saved money, because I'm getting more bang for my buck, as well as not having to pay traveling expenses or costume fees (and not having to buy tap shoes at all!)<br />
<br />
If I had to do it over again, I never would have started the typical "cutesy dance class" classes and would have had her take a private or semi-private lesson once a month. Right now, she is planning on learning a solo dance in the fall and considering competing with it. She's always wanted to do solos anyway, so I guess we are where we need to be. <br />
<br />
If you find yourself wondering why you send your little one to an hour long dance class every week when you could teach her the same moves at home (use Google!) you are not alone. If you are a homeschool mom and this is her only chance of interacting with other girls, then you may feel differently. This homeschool mom knows not everything works for everyone, and we have options that sometimes come to us a little late. Or was it perfect timing? Hmmmm...<br />
<br />
If you live in or near Wichita, KS and would like more information about our dance teacher, just comment below and I will provide it for you. I'm not kidding when I say she's amazing. We will never take from anyone else. My daughter loves her, too, and you can't argue with that.Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-78693913298381502462014-06-21T15:32:00.001-05:002014-09-05T10:13:35.889-05:00NOT Common Core<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQOx4GokEPLakzJsdjrFIFMp94CJMApEvIsLS5mm7fHrXoOrK_C5Ps-sxZ0RkBsZWTV5MqNNtRxqvNvp3A7E_zUlem5ZpEgPd0bsDWDzmrMRUzId9QjGzpFpjIAHxHpJ_x3EzpmpOndVC/s1600/Counting-up-alg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQOx4GokEPLakzJsdjrFIFMp94CJMApEvIsLS5mm7fHrXoOrK_C5Ps-sxZ0RkBsZWTV5MqNNtRxqvNvp3A7E_zUlem5ZpEgPd0bsDWDzmrMRUzId9QjGzpFpjIAHxHpJ_x3EzpmpOndVC/s1600/Counting-up-alg.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
You've seen this meme on facebook, probably 5-6 times already. Where did it come from? I don't know. All I know is that it's not accurate, and it drives me nuts every time it makes its rounds again.<br />
The math problem is depicted to be a product of Common Core Standards. While I am certainly NOT a fan of Common Core, the labeling is incorrect in this situation. As a matter of fact, nothing can really be blamed on Common Core, because really all it does is pick and choose the teaching methods and concepts which have already been used in the schools. Supposedly, it raises standards for those schools who are "behind," but shouldn't change much for most schools, as far as what is actually being taught. <br />
<br />
The math algorithm shown in this picture is called "Counting Up" Subtraction and is part of the <a href="http://www.nychold.com/em-arith.html" target="_blank">Everyday Mathematics</a> curriculum which has been in development since 1983. This is one of the "new math" problems parents have been complaining about for at least a decade. They have other math algorithms that will shock you as well, and you will scratch your head, wondering what was wrong with the "old way"? Which is really funny, because most responses on facebook are by people who can't figure out what's going on in this algorithm, which tells me it's possible that they never developed a good number sense the "old way" so maybe they should give the "new way" a pass and consider that kids might understand numbers better when they are adults. <br />
<br />
But since everyone wants to be against Common Core, they see this problem which they think is associated with Common Core and immediately throw up their hands. It's funny how our brains work. I bet if someone said you could have a million dollars if you can explain the algorithm it would take less then two minutes to do so.<br />
<br />
Unless Common Core requires ALL schools to use Everyday Mathematics, this algorithm will not even be seen by your students who do not use this curriculum. I have seen numerous math curricula and none of them have these algorithms which are specific to Everyday Math. My kids did attend a school which used this curriculum, so I saw it first hand and can say overall it is an adequate curriculum. It does not force students to pick any certain algorithm for computations, but it does teach numerous ways of solving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems. Now, those of you demanding that everyone be taught the SAME OLD WAY, think about that when you argue against schools because they don't teach to individuals' learning styles.<br />
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Now, do I think Common Core has merits? No. I think it's overreaching of the federal government, which wants even more control over our children's minds. Just another reason to have a Stay At Home Child...<br />
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Here's a great video by Julie Borowski about Common Core<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lX7ddVUuf-E" width="560"></iframe><br />Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-51798401843842741892014-02-14T08:41:00.000-06:002014-02-14T08:41:14.745-06:00Students Who Don't Like MathI can't even believe I'm writing this. Raised in a family of math geniuses, it is hard to admit that the words, "I hate math!" ever fell from my child's mouth. They did. I was shocked.<br />
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When my son was in kindergarten I remember working on math with him and how he would sometimes come to an answer really quickly. He wasn't guessing, but he knew the answer. I asked him how he got the answer and he couldn't tell me. This drove me nuts. I learned in college that children should grow up learning how to communicate about math, and here I was, his kindergarten teacher and I was a total failure! Why couldn't he tell me?!<br />
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Now my son is 12 and over the years I've realized that sometimes the "experts" were wrong. While I couldn't figure out my son's methods, I didn't necessarily have to understand it in order to teach him. At this point, he is figuring out the answers much quicker than me. And still, he does a LOT of it in his head.<br />
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Usually I heard, "I hate math," when something got a little hard and required extra brain power. Sometimes kids are lazy and just don't want to do math RIGHT NOW. Adults are the same way, aren't we? But what if your kid NEVER likes math? What do you do then?<br />
<br />
First, don't ever tell your child that you were bad at or did not like math. They will grow up thinking they will be the same way. If you have already done this, undo it. Get excited about math and act like it's all the rage. If your kid looks at you funny or asks you what's wrong, just say you have discovered how much fun math is and work the problems with him. If you had mediocre math teachers, it's possible that looking at math from your adult perspective will make the work easier to understand. If you are still intimidated by the numbers and calculations, make sure to enlist some help in the math area. There are lots of videos online that can help you both. You don't have to know everything all the time, you just have to have a learning spirit and excitement about working with numbers.<br />
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Second, figure out what your child really doesn't like. It could be that he is really struggling with a certain concept. Just because addition was a piece of cake doesn't mean subtraction is going to come easy. Help him climb the obstacles rather than struggle, fall, and give up. Imagine coming to a difficult concept, realizing there are only more difficult concepts behind it in the future. Not fun. Most kids like riddles or puzzles. I've always viewed each math problem as a riddle to figure out. If you are excited, even if your child is struggling, he will plow through if he has your help. The benefit of schooling at home is you can spend as much time as you need to get the concept down. Don't rush it! Let him get comfortable with a concept before jumping to the next "obstacle."<br />
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Third, make math fun. Some things are just going to be work, like learning math facts. For this, we use xtramath.org. Try to take something your child enjoys and incorporate it into math. Now that my son is older, we try to see who can come up with the answer first. There are some things I will never beat him on, but other things I can. He gets a kick out of the times he beats me, and works harder to beat me on the others. If you don't have a competitive kid, this won't work. But maybe he is very active and likes jumping on the rebounder, bouncing on a ball, or getting M&Ms. Yes, bribery works, too! You know your kid, figure out what works and make math the most fun subject of the day. If you are really creative, make a treasure hunt, lasting over the course of a week. Each day's assignment provides another clue. Each clue takes him to the next location of the "riddles" to solve, eventually leading to the treasure. I bet he will want to start with math each day!<br />
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Your child will learn to like math if you provide the environment that makes math exciting. That doesn't mean that he will be good at it, but it will be easier when he is willing to do the work. Although we have met our own obstacles, I don't think my son will ever say he hates math again. However, we are just in pre-algebra now and I've still got high school to go so I'm not going to hold my breath! Good luck teaching parents, and have fun!<br />
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<br />Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-32581240364080827662014-02-06T20:36:00.000-06:002014-02-06T20:43:53.017-06:00Was Our Country Really Founded by Godly Men?Today I had the pleasure of viewing the movie, <a href="http://www.monumentalmovie.com/" target="_blank"><i>Monumental: In Search of America's National Treasure</i></a>, a documentary hosted by Kirk Cameron. I am not writing about this movie, but about the thoughts that resulted from watching it (and also from recently watching the Bill Nye and Ken Ham debate).<br />
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Whenever the topic of our founding fathers arises, anti-Christians and atheists are quick to point out that our country was founded by atheists, agnostics, and non-believers, and we just need to “get over it.” Unfortunately, many of us, Christians and atheists alike, have been undereducated about this topic, because the whole truth has been removed from the public school system. So most Christians don’t really know how to respond, even if they have a good idea that they are right.<br />
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<i>Monumental</i> covered the Pilgrims and the difficulties they endured coming to America. They were clearly highly religious people, but atheists are quick to point out<br />
1) there were already people settling in America before the Pilgrims arrived,<br />
2) by the time our founding fathers established our country and government system the Pilgrims were long gone, and<br />
3) the Salem Witch Trials, as if that is the ONLY thing the Pilgrims ever did. The Salem Witch Trials, while certainly religiously motivated, are more a testimony for mass hysteria rather than a point to make against Christianity. We have endured many other instances of mass hysteria in our country, but I’ll leave that for another day so I don’t lose you before I even get to my point. Right now, I’m going to focus on point 2.<br />
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The assertion that the original Pilgrims were long gone before the establishment of the United States is not incorrect. But the assumption made by that point is that by the time the founding fathers started their work, the country was made up of atheists or, at best, agnostics. I am going to examine nothing other than well known historical documents of our country to show why this assumption is NOT correct, no matter how many atheists tell you it is.<br />
<br />
The book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007USE4AM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007USE4AM&linkCode=as2&tag=evesbest-20">Words That Built a Nation</a></i><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=evesbest-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007USE4AM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
by Marilyn Miller includes numerous historical documents and exactly what is stated in them (or parts of them). I will start with the Mayflower Compact, just in case there is any doubt about the Pilgrims’ beliefs. This document is said to be, “the first document of self-government for North America,” by author Marilyn Miller. It states in part,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>In the name of God Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyall subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord King James by the grace of God, of great Britaine, France, & Ireland king, defender of the faith, &c.</i><br />
<i>Having undertaken, for the glorie of God, and advancements of the Christian faith and honour of our king & countrie, a voyage to plant the first colonie in the Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant & combine ourselves togeather into a civill body politick…</i> (I tried to include all their errors, but I may have accidentally corrected some.)</blockquote>
As you can see, they were, as reported originally in history books, a religious group of people. <br />
Let’s move on now to Benjamin Franklin, author (among many other things) of <i>Poor Richard’s Almanack</i> from 1733-1758. Included in his almanac were writings and popular sayings that reflected hard work and common sense. One included in the book was, “God helps them that help themselves.” Marilyn Miller says about his proverbs, “He borrowed many from popular sayings and the Bible, often rewriting them. More colonists read Poor Richard’s Almanack than any other publication except the Bible.” This demonstrates that not only did Benjamin Franklin read and quote the Bible, the people during his time read the Bible as well!<br />
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Next up is Thomas Paine, with his well-known (well, I guess we should say “well mentioned”) pamphlet called<a href="http://publicliterature.org/pdf/comsn10a.pdf" target="_blank"> <i>Common Sense</i></a>, published on January 10, 1776. This publication included…<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensible duty of all government, to protect all conscientious professors thereof, and I know of no other business which government hath to do therewith… For myself, I fully and conscientiously believe, that it is the will of the Almighty, that there should be diversity of religious opinions among us: It affords a larger field for our Christian kindness. Were we all of one way of thinking, our religious dispositions would want matter for probation; and on this liberal principle, I look on the various denominations among us, to be like children of the same family, differing only, in what is called, their Christian names.</i></blockquote>
<i>Common Sense</i>, which was very popular with colonists, included numerous biblical references apart from the quote provided above. There were WAY too many to list here. I do want to say that the book I am using only showed limited paragraphs of Paine’s fifty page pamphlet. It did include references to God, but it is similar to how students’ textbooks refer to historical documents- not mentioning the authors’ Christian roots or even displaying the entire document.<br />
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The next document, the <a href="http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html" target="_blank">Declaration of Independence</a> written by Thomas Jefferson, refers to “the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them….”<br />
It also states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”<br />
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The last paragraph starts, “We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions…” and it closes with, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”<br />
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The Declaration of Independence was signed by fifty-six colonists who agreed with these sentiments. They were certainly not the words of atheists!<br />
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Moving on to 1789, we come to the most controversial document affecting present times, the <a href="http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html" target="_blank">Bill of Rights</a>. As most people know, the first amendment states in part,“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” <br />
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This one single statement provides so much controversy for present times, we could debate it for hours. Rather, I should say, atheists could debate it for hours just because they would need that long to exhaust their opponent who knows what this statement intended to mean. This statement is where “we” get “separation of church and state.” Surely by now you know the words “separation of church and state” appear nowhere in our Constitution, Bill of Rights, or any other historical document. They are buzzwords used to confuse the undereducated in our country into believing that God has to be removed from schools, from courts, and from any other public domain. If you put the words into their historical context, the intention was that the colonists would not allow the government to force the people to subscribe to any particular religion as they had endured in England. It was not intended to remove God from our daily lives.<br />
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Lastly, let’s look at the <i><a href="http://ecssba.rutgers.edu/docs/seneca.html" target="_blank">Declaration of Sentiments</a></i> written by women at the Seneca Falls Convention on July 20, 1848. Modeled after the Declaration of Independence, there is similarity in the texts. Here are just a couple of parts of this document:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>He allows her in Church as well as State, but a subordinate position, claiming Apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry, and, with some exceptions, from any public participation in the affairs of the Church.</i><br />
<i>He has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as his right to assign for her a sphere of action, when that belongs to her conscience and her God.</i></blockquote>
This document arising from a meeting a feminists, shows not only that church and God were important to these women, but also that feminists were NOT atheists!<br />
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There is a LOT more information regarding the founding fathers, the colonists, and the history of Christianity and God in our country, but I’m only including these texts here. In defense of our religious beginnings, you might hear atheists say, as mentioned earlier, “But what about the Salem Witch Trials?!” Or you might even hear, “The Pilgrims didn’t establish our country, no matter how religious they were.” And when provided with the facts, you might even be slapped with, “What does it matter?!” (Forget the fact that they are usually the ones who bring it up!)<br />
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Well, this is only one aspect showing the decline in our country resulting from the decline of our belief in God and the decline of morality. Many of our documents extolled liberty, and the colonists pursued it for themselves and their descendants. Where does one think liberty was born? It came from our Creator and that is what the founding fathers believed and assumed we would continue to believe. As our love of God has been replaced with dependence on government and loss of control of our lives, we are ending up exactly where England was when the Pilgrims found their escape. We are losing our liberty.<br />
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We must teach our children both sides of history. God and religion has been removed from secular science and history texts, and it has been done for a reason. I suggest reading <i>Common Sense</i> by Thomas Paine in its entirety and teaching it to your children. Our country was founded by men and women who worshipped God and Jesus Christ. The only question that remains about that is from the people who don’t want to see it. The next time you refer to our Christian roots and are met with an eye roll, I hope that you know how to respond to those doubters!Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-42360177309100791522014-02-02T18:56:00.001-06:002014-02-02T19:01:13.118-06:00Just Another JunkieAt church this morning, our pastor
covered Day 4 of Creation, “the heavenly bodies.” He cleverly
demonstrated the comparable sizes of earth, the sun, and other stars,
and then tied up the sermon with the connection between the sun and
the Son. What if the sun just decided to stop shining? You know, sort
of how we don't shine the light of Jesus? It really hit home, and I
left church contemplating how I can share Jesus in my day to day
life.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A few hours later, I saw the news that
Philip Seymour Hoffman had passed away from a drug overdose. How sad!
I don't know if others do this, but whenever someone famous dies
(which seems to happen much more frequently these days) I find myself
wondering where they are now. I mean, if you are an atheist, you're
laughing right now. But I'm not...and I care about the souls of, yes,
even those I never knew. It is ironic that Christians spend billions
of dollars every year on movies to watch people that, in the end, we
really have no concern for. We want them to entertain us, but other
than that, we have no use for them, nor concern for them. (We are the
same way with the people around us, so I don't know what I really
expect...)</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I read it in a comment to an article
about Hoffman's death: “Just another junkie.”</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just another junkie.</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now, I don't know if that comment came
from a Christian or non-Christian, but in any case, it's kind of
cold! It's like saying of someone, “Just another sinner,” because
the truth is, we all are. We all have bad habits, ill thoughts, and
moments we regret. Some of us have addictions that take over our
lives, that <i>take</i> our lives, and I don't think anyone wants to
be remembered after death as “just” anything negative. Philip
Seymour Hoffman was an excellent actor, and without going into the
psychology behind actors and their addictions, he was <i>still a
person</i>. <i>A soul.</i> A soul that was bound for an afterlife,
and I have to wonder, did anyone ever discuss this with him?</div>
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I realize the hypocrisy. So for all of my friends who don't know Jesus or who gave up
on Jesus, I hope that one day you will find yourself opening your
heart to the possibility of a Holy Spirit working in your life for
YOUR good, and the knowledge of a man who died for YOUR sins so that
you might live forever with God in heaven. It is difficult to
understand when you try to use your head. There are times I find
myself culturing doubt, which is quickly extinguished when I hear a
song, or the Word of God, which causes goose bumps, chills, or
free-flowing tears. Then, I know. The heart knows. I'm sure all of my
friends have made a decision at some point to open their hearts to
Jesus, or not to. We don't only get one chance, but I'm asking you to
soften your heart before you run out of chances.
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To my non-believing friends, I pray for
you daily. I pray that you will choose Jesus, because I know in my
heart what that means for you and eternity.
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Because I don't want to
wonder if you will be known as, “Just another sinner.” You are much more than that. We all are, and so was Hoffman.<br />
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<i>If you are interested in watching
<a href="http://media.riverlawn.org/archive.php" target="_blank">sermons on the Creation and book of Genesis, here are our sermon archives</a>. You will also find a great sermon by Dr. Tom Sharp.</i></div>
Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-53379404964191739082014-01-30T12:08:00.002-06:002014-01-30T22:55:21.144-06:00Science Labs Are NOT Necessary for LearningA few years ago, I remember hearing a lecture by Dr. Jay Wile at a homeschool convention, where he stated that science labs are not necessary, even for high school students. My kids were little at the time, so I didn't give it much thought. Until yesterday.<br />
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All of a sudden, it hit me. What he said sank in. I'm not sure if it's because I've been planning my 7th grader's high school years already, or because my friends with high schoolers seem to be worried about getting enough science lab experiments, but it really came full circle and suddenly made a lot of sense.<br />
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Dr. Jay Wile has expressed that experiments and teaching your child to use the scientific method early on are very important in the elementary years. As they enter middle school and high school, they should switch gears to focus on more gaining of knowledge than how many experiments they can do. (<a href="http://hedua.com/blog/homeschool-science-tips/" target="_blank">Dr. Jay’s Top 10 Homeschool Science Tips</a>). He has also said that, "Labs are fun and interesting, but not a necessary part of learning." (Page 7 of <a href="http://www.drwile.com/jr&highsci.pdf" target="_blank">these notes</a>, which are the exact notes given to us at the lecture. You will find other interesting information included!)<br />
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Now, my question is, if labs aren't that important to the author of science textbooks and a former university professor, why are moms going out of our way to spend money and time shuttling our kids to science classes so they can get lab experience?<br />
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My guess is because we did labs in school, and we don't want to "neglect" our children just because they are homeschooled. Also, if you pay attention at all to what public schools do (or argue about when it comes to money), you know how much emphasis the school boards put on new and improved science labs, and you may have even seen them spend hundreds of thousands more to relocate classrooms to upgrade science labs to some arbitrary standard set by someone, somewhere (Washington?) So we were told in school, lab time is important. We are told by the school board, we MUST have the best labs in our schools. (Which is ironic given the failure of our schools already, right?) You really have to get off the ride and stop and think about it for a minute. How many students actually have ANY interest in pursuing science, and how many actually do? <br />
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Now let me tell you something that might blow you away. I don't know how many hours I spent in the lab in junior high and high school. But I did not spend ONE MINUTE in a lab during my four years in college. GASP! And guess what I ended up teaching my first year after graduation? Seventh grade science! Let that sink in a minute.<br />
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And let me be perfectly honest, there are high school graduates who make better teachers than those with college degrees.<br />
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After taking the usual biology, chemistry, physics, (and I also took extra science, including anatomy/physiology) in high school, I did not want to repeat those courses in college. So I took an astronomy class and a class on the physics of sound, both of which were very interesting. But the truth is, there is a very small fraction of people who EVER need to know what even happens in a lab. Those people should do as many labs as they need to. The average student...not so much! <br />
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So don't worry about fitting that science lab with other homeschoolers into your schedule. If it's right down the street and fits your schedule perfectly and you happen to have extra money laying around to pay for it, go for it. But don't stress out if you don't or can't do labs. Your student will not suffer for it and the world WILL go on. I promise!Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-67764731839219823522014-01-29T08:13:00.000-06:002014-01-29T08:14:48.980-06:00Block Scheduling for HomeschoolersThis year in our homeschool, we tried something different. "Experts" refer to it as block scheduling: having fewer classes (or subjects) each day. The way we blocked our school year is into semesters. We took the classes for the year, divided them into two groups, and then did half of the classes in fall semester, and the other half of classes in spring semester.<br />
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So, how's it going?<br />
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Wonderfully. So wonderfully, in fact, that we aren't even finished with the school year and I had to tell you how well it's going.<br />
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Fall semester consisted of history, science, grammar, and smaller classes like health, logic, and for my daughter, spelling (which she will work on all year).<br />
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Spring semester consists of reading/literature, writing, and math.<br />
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This schedule is working out for us for numerous reasons. First, it works better for me. As a work at home mom who also happens to be single, it has kept me sane. I only have to worry about a few subjects daily. Also, I chose the more tedious subjects (the ones that tend to get neglected) for the start of our year, and will finish the year with the more enjoyable subjects (for me/us anyway). So when spring fever sets in, we will be working on subjects that we will have an easier time completing.<br />
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Secondly, my kids are spending more time on their subjects daily, rather than going from one to the next quickly. Imagine only reflecting on three ideas you focused on that day, rather than six or more. This gives them the time to go more in depth with what they learn, as well as tying it in with what they already know. Cramming more information into one day tends to prevent in depth learning on any given subject.<br />
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Finally, it helps with cost management. Except for the textbooks I will hand down to my younger child, we aren't holding on to texts all year. As soon as we are done with it, I sell the curriculum to make room for the next semester. It also allows me to find good deals during the school year rather than buying everything at one time, in late summer or early fall, when everyone else is shopping. Right now I'm scoping out deals for next year, as I already know what we will be doing. I guess that's more a benefit of planning, while the block scheduling helps me spread out the money being spent.<br />
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You might be wondering how old my kids are. They are currently in 6th and 7th grades. I wonder if we could have used this schedule when they were younger, as I've heard many moms say, "That won't work for my child because they have to have math everyday." Or, "I could see doing it when they are older, but when they are younger, topics need to be reinforced daily." I can tell you that these arguments are not valid in my home. I believe if I had done a similar schedule from early on, it would have worked just as easily- with my kids. Everyone has different needs and kids learn differently. Before you write it off in your family, imagine what it would be like and see if it might work in your home. It breaks away from the mold a bit, and for us, it has turned out to be a huge blessing as I've retained my sanity this year. A LOT of homeschool moms can't say that at the end of May! (I will report back in, I know it's only the end of January!)Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-14502200457088069792014-01-17T12:56:00.000-06:002014-01-17T12:56:40.126-06:00What to Do When You Accidentally Delete Photos From Your CameraAt 1:21 am, my eleven year-old daughter woke me up, in tears.<br />
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"Mommy, I accidentally deleted ALL the photos off my camera!"<br />
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I'm not sure what she thought I could do. But wait...WHY is she still up?<br />
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Earlier in the evening, she had shown me the images for her Barbie stop motion video. She had spent about ten hours on it, which if you know anything about stop motion, relates to about a 30 second video. Watching the pictures quickly go from one to the next, I could tell that the video is going to be hilarious. No, seriously, I laughed so hard, it took me a minute to catch my breath. <i>So THIS is what she had been doing when she was supposed to be doing her school work!</i><br />
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But now they were all gone. Hours of work were wasted.<br />
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"Maybe God made me do this because He knew I could do a better one," she said, trying to look on the bright side.<br />
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<i>Maybe He was punishing you for not doing your school work first</i>, I thought.<br />
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I was already on the computer, Googling "how to retrieve images deleted from SD card." I knew it was pointless, but I had to look like I was trying to do something to help.<br />
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It turns out, it wasn't pointless. Did you know that even though it <i>says</i> they are deleted, they aren't? Just like deleting things from your hard drive, they are still there. You might not be able to find them, but someone could if they wanted to and if they knew how. I downloaded a program called Panda Recovery for- get this- FREE. And...it WORKED! One after another, 532 photos were retrieved and my girl was happy again. So there ya go.<br />
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You might think the story is over, but it's not. As I got back into bed with a smile, I decided that while MOST of the time I have to be the "bad guy," it feels good to be the hero. It makes all those other times worth it. Today, I'm back to the bad guy again because someone has to get her school work done...Eviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06856010546964996867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2565921628653209307.post-56935472025949119982014-01-08T23:39:00.000-06:002014-01-08T23:39:27.576-06:00What do I do with all these stuffed animals?!My kids have a gazillion little stuffed animals that they just can't seem to part with. My daughter stored hers on a shelf in her room, but she needed the shelf space for all her hair accessories and jewelry. I looked on Pinterest a little bit, and didn't really find anything that jumped out at me, so I decided to make a trip to Lowe's to see what I could find that might work. Lattice! I decided not to nail this to the wall since we might be moving soon. I used a few nails in the beam in our basement and the stuffed animals are super happy. This piece is 4' x 8', but it is easy to cut if it's too large. I happened to get a multi-purpose tool pretty cheap at woot.com just before getting the lattice and got to try it out. I just had to cut one row off since the beam was lower than the ceiling. This size lattice was $17.98 at our Lowe's. For the animals that didn't fit in the holes, my daughter used her Rainbow Loom to make straps to hold them on. She hasn't finished putting on all her stuffed animals. She wanted me to make sure you knew that!<br />
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