Go Fund Me

It's the height of summer, softball games, swimming, picnics, and hot lazy days are here.  I'm starting to plan out my next school year and waiting for IHM conference in a few weeks. I plan on buying several of the items I need at the used book sale. I hope I'm able to get what I want.

This time of year brings up money!!  It takes money for curriculum, money for supplies, money to homeschool.  Everyone it seems is in the same boat: limited funds to go around.   It seems that for some it's tighter then it has been in the passed or a new trend is popping up and I'm just out of the loop.

I have noticed this week at least 3 different homeschooling families started a Go Fund Me page and are asking for money to buy school supplies, buy groceries, build a school house, or whatever else they need. I'm taken back by these fundraiser pages.  I never would have thought to start a page asking for money for school supplies, money for groceries, or anything else.

Some will argue that it's no different then public schools doing fundraisers, but to me it seems different. I don't know; something about it just is not sitting right with me.  What do you think?

Blogging Mojo!

It seems I have lost a bit of blogging mojo. I know for a period of time I was wrapped up in promoting and doing things for the local homeschool co-op I started. Doing that entered me into the facebook realm. Prior to that I didn't have facebook. I found myself doing more and more of micro blogging on facebook. Sharing links, sharing info about the kids, homeschooling, that I didn't feel the need to come here and blog about it.

The group I started is going strong and growing and I have stepped down as a leader. I needed to step down for personal reasons.  I'm glad where the group has gone, I'm glad it's growing, and I can't wait to see what's in store for it.

So what of homeschooling? Well we at the beginning of May we called it the end of the school year so the kids have been hanging out around the house on the computer and tablets a bit more then I would like. Of course I could step up and say hey no more computer time for today and pull the plug on them or at least limit them.

I have started to plan for next school year. At the end of July I'm going to a homeschool conference. I can't wait it will be my first conference ever.   It's Catholic based so that's making me looking forward to it even more.  I don't know what I'm looking forward to the most: the speakers or the used book sale!

So that's a yet another quick blogging post? For my long time readers and fellow bloggers what do you do to prevent blogging block? Or drying up? And if you have hit a dry spell what do you do to come out of it? I look back at this blog history and I would hate for it to go totally dead. Sometimes I think about starting over and starting with a fresh blog, but I'm not sure I truly want that too.

Trades Job

I took the kids to a trades expo today. It was a simple expo with a few booths that had trade workers there to explain their jobs, what they do, and what education you need for those jobs. Over all the kids were not impressed. I think they are perhaps still a little young, but I thought I would give it a try. Some of the booths shared what you make to per hour starting out. Knowing this caused my kids to ask what would a video game designer or cartoon animator would make to start. We researched it and the kids were surprise to see that a game designer starting out after several years of college would be making about the same as a plumber that could go to school at night and work at his trade during the day. Of course with these trade jobs we are talking about union jobs. I know some are pro unions and others are not. Personally, I'm on the fence. I think for some things like trade jobs, factory jobs, and other jobs along that vain they are a good thing. For teachers, schools, doctors, hospitals and other jobs along that vain they are a bad thing. Of course that is a post for another day. In the end I'm glad we went to the expo. It open my kids up to the idea of other jobs that are out there. Jobs that still require you to have a good education and be good at things like math, but not necessary a college degree. I wanted them to be aware that there are other avenues for higher education.

Common Core Standards

Being a homeschooler one might think that CCS does not matter or it will not effect me. However this is far from the truth. We are finding that many of the popular homeschool curriculum choices are aligning with CCS. For a list please see The Educational Freedom Coalition.

What is Common Core (State) Standards? For more information on what the this is please see Michelle Malkin's Site. 

Local Job Market

The above video has nothing to do with homeschooling. I just am sharing because it's about my husband's employer and just happens to have footage of him at work. :)) I also know the video is a little bit for the format of my blog, but I'm not able to edit it size. :((

Netflix and Hulu Plus

In an effort to cut our monthly bills we have cut out Cable TV. We had done this once before and after a year without cable TV we added it back and have had it for the last several years.

The first time we cut it was because we were seeking to get out of debit. This time was just to truly reduce our bills. We have looked at an alternative cell phone company as well. Any suggestions?

We might not have cable TV but we do have Netflix and Hulu Plus.  Do you have Netflix or Hulu Plus? Are there any shows you like to watch? Do you use any of the shows for your schooling?

I have found the first season of Drive Thru History and Mythbusters on Netflix. We watch Once Upon A Time on Hulu Plus. We also have watch various documentaries on both Netflix and Hulu Plus.

Bananas In Pajamas

I think, at times, my kids would love to be Bananas in Pajamas. Not because they are bananas. Not because they love to chase teddy bears. But because they are in pajamas!

I will admit there are days that my kids are in pajamas all day, especially this time of year when it's to cold to be outside and we have no where to go.  If I ask them to get dress I often hear "Where are we going?"


I have thought about having the kids were 'uniforms' but they seem resistant to the idea. Just this week they were sharing with their dad about my wishes for them to wear uniforms and how that's crazy because we homeschool.

The days the kids get dress we do get more done. I see that getting dress does changed the mood and the willingness to work.  It's not like they fight me when they are in their pajamas, but they clearly work better when they get dress.

What do you do? Do your kids get dress every day? Do they have days in their pajamas? Do you your kids wear an uniform. Please share!

Complete Curriculum

So over Christmas the kids received tablets from Santa. I'm looking more towards ebooks because they have their tablets. I came across Complete Curriculum.


First I know it's "secular" curriculum. All these years of homeschooling I've been using things that are Catholic/Christian based and over all I've been reasonably happy with my choices.  I could do what I have been doing and more, but I'm also looking at price.  What appeals to me about the Complete Curriculum you can use any 10 ebooks you want for $29.95 per calendar year.

The books they offer are just core subjects math, social studies, English  and science.  With two kids I could have age/grade material for them for a very cheap price.  I've heard that for the $29.95 fee you get access to the whole book, materials, but they are broken down into 180 lessons and each lesson is its own pdf file. So  for the math material, for example, I would have to download 180 different files to get the complete math book.  For an additional fee you can get the whole book, all the lessons, in ONE file.  Or you can just spend the money for the book, one file, without the membership fee. (Buying each book as one file cost more then the yearly membership fee).

I really don't have anything more to say about Complete Curriculum. I'm wondering if any of my readers have heard of it? Have used it? Or know someone that has? What are your thoughts?

Or do you know of other whole curriculum options that uses primary ebooks. I would want access to their books and teacher manuals/answer keys. I'm really interested in making their tablet more of a learning tool and not just a gadget to play angry birds or watch Netflix!

Superstar's Glasses

Back in September both kids had eye exams.  At the time I could only afford to get Web-princess her glasses. This passed week I was able to buy Superstar the glasses he needs. Both kids need them for reading, writing, computer, tablets, hand held games and anything else of that nature.  

Over Christmas we bought the kids tablets. Here is a picture that Superstar took on his tablet of him and  his sister in their glasses.

I know the picture is a little dark that is the result of poor light and the limitations of the camera on his tablet.