WE ARE DONE!!

We made it! Today was our last day and we are ready for a much needed summer break. We have our award ceremony tomorrow where the children will receive their certificates of completion and promotion. They also get certificates for returning school supplies, completing homework and having the neatest desk.

This year, we had a new reward system that was found on the edhelper.com site (and modified a great deal to meet my needs) where the children received custom-made checks from the "First Bank of MHS" in some pretty significant amounts. It was explained that they could turn in that check at the end of the school year for legal tender, however, discipline, citizenship and grade problems would result in fees being paid out of the student's checking account. These checks were made out to the school leader which in turn will be "drafted" against the students original reward check, leaving a final reward amount. Let's just say that cash motivates my crew! LOL Only a few fees were incurred throughout the school year.

During our 2 1/2 week break, we are going camping and look forward to time away from the classroom. The summer session will begin June 26th with 4 half days per week.

Thanks to all my "cyber-friends" for all of the support given for this past school year. I have learned a great deal from you all.

:)De

5 Kind Things...

I was "tagged" by Life Adapted and asked to answer these questions.

5 kind things I have done for strangers:
1. Today we saw a young lady with 2 small children running down the road, crying. We stopped, offered her a ride, got her home and gave her our number to call later if needed.
2. I have given money to people in the check out line that were short on cash.
3. I love paying for the food of the person behind me at a fast food place just because.
4. For every foster child that comes to our home, I develop a good relationship with their birth parent, allowing phone calls if possible and providing parents with updated pictures as often as possible.
5. I love working at the local food bank that is operated out of our church.

5 kind things I do for my closest friend, partner or child:
1. I cut my children's sandwiches in triangle for them still...even my 15 1/2 year old.
2. I make fruit smoothies for them with my magic bullet when they are feeling down.
3. I surprised them with a trip to an large amusement park last fall.
4. I cry with my girlfriend when she is having rough moments in life (and help her eat chocolate anything to help her feel better :)
5. I help my dad at least 5 x's per week to remember how to save things on his computer, sign onto AOL, remember his passwords, etc...

5 kind things I do for myself:
1. I maintain "mommy time" every night for 1 hour.
2. I constantly commune with God.
3. I forgive myself for parenting mistakes.
4. I buy Mandarin oranges that are just for me.
5. I home school my children which still thrills my heart.

5 things I do for fun:
1. I play games on pogo.com after school.
2. I watch reality t.v. ( I know, I know)
3. I go camping.
4. When I can't go camping, I camp in the back yard, fire pit, marshmallows and all.
5. I read blogs.

The Bells Toll No More!

Our school schedule has 8 class periods which helps us to have an end point for each class. When I started HSing, we just did language arts until it was done and then math until it was done (which sometimes took forever to get done and so nothing else would get done). Thus our schedule.

I searched the Internet for a bell system that would meet our needs and finally found the Invisible Clock II. I love it and it is funny because sometimes when the children are in the middle of a lesson that is tough and the bell rings, they cheer and rush away for break; "saved by the bell." It works for me too when I am teaching a lesson (that I have repeated); when the bell rings I take great delight in rushing them out of the classroom, telling them that their next hour's teacher will be upset if they are late. (If you play crazy enough, they'll leave ya alone LOL)

Anyway... for the last few days of school, we will have free schedule. The bells are turned off and the battery will be removed for safe storage until fall ... and we chug along.

In The Home Stretch.....and stretching and stretching....

I think we are going to make it to the end of this school year (I say dramatically).

Jordan is completely done with Bible class and only has 2 more lessons in Language Arts. Earlier in the school year, her laptop crashed and it took me a couple of weeks to replace it. Jordan was such a good sport because we lost all of her work and she had to restart 4th grade again, but she has caught up and is closing in on the last few lessons for each class.

Jeffrey is done with Bible, Health, History & Geography, Language Arts and Science. He is taking his final test in State History and because he restarted Algebra I, he still has that to finish.

We were aiming to be done by the 30th, but may now have to go until June 4th. I think I have the fever worse than the children.

Just....

I just wanted to say that things are well.
I just wanted to make note that my children are
healthy,
well-behaved and
happy.
I was just sitting here and realized how satisfied I am,
how blessed I am,
how well I am cared for by my Father in heaven.
I just wanted to say that things are well.

Jordan's Cursive

When we started cursive lessons, She, her (that girl LOL!) did not want to learn it... at all! I let it go for a while, but printed all of her spelling words in cursive only. Being the princess that she is, she remarked one day, "You know, cursive letters are kinda pretty with the loops and all." I GOT HER!! It took her about 8 weeks to learn. Here are samples:

Happy Mother's Day!

:)De