YOU TOO can blog!!

SERIOUSLY! I have been blogging since Jan 2005. I started out blogging somewhere else and ended up jumping over to Blogger a few years ago. My only regret was that I couldn't bring my old entries over here to blogger. I have been trying for ages to get my husband to start blogging as he is an excellent writer but he mainly likes writing fiction. (which might be interesting for a blog theme?) I have tried to talk friends into blogging about their life experiences but most just do not think that they are creative enough to do it or that they do not have enough time. I'm perhaps an atypical female as I do not like at ALL to chat on the phone. (much to my family in particulars displeasure) This most likely happened after having children. HAHAH. If anyone knows my son at all (well sometimes my daughter too) talking on the phone when my children are around is like skiing up a hill.  I like chatting in person OR sort of like the diaries of the past I like writing it all in my blog.

Not long after I started using blogger someone told me about a wonderful Blog Writing Course. I already knew the basics but I cannot tell you how helpful this course was for learning how to get people to follow your blog, (thanks people!) learning some about HTML, making your blog purty and easy to read.  (and so much more!) So it was very beneficial to me even as a somewhat seasoned blogger. Of course I'm still always learning...that's why I love to go visit so many blogs. My favorite thing about blogging is looking back over the years at what I have written. I'm NOT good at scrap booking...but as I understand it you can put your blog into book form if you want. I'm hoping to do this one day.

Now get out there people...and WRITE!!

Math anxiety

Yes. Even as an adult math can make me break out in a cold smelly sweat. Math anxiety would cause me to almost have to repeat 5th grade. Ironically my husband also almost had to repeat a grade because of math. I ended up going to summer school that summer plus my mom trying her best to get it all to sink in. I sometimes see this with my children. It will seem like they know a concept and the next day *poof* they will have to relearn it. That is how it was with testing for me.  I would study and know it and then completely blank out when it was time for a test. In our home school environment we do not do testing though except for the yearly testing required by the state. So far the kids do not know the anxiety that comes from "TESTS".

For now we are still just learning the basics of math: addition/subtraction/fractions/multiplication/division....but in a couple of years I will have to teach**gulp** algebra. Now I did take algebra in high school and college but that was, ahem, a VERY long time ago. I'm thinking that soon I will have to to do some refresher work in math. Most likely I will have to take an online algebra program to get me up to speed to teach more advanced mathematics.

So Excited!

I have been such a blog hog this week! Anyway,even before kids my hubby has been writing,writing,and writing. (we love writing Over Yonder haha) When the kids were babies we paid to have a book that he wrote and had a very special artist friend of ours do the art for published. It's an early reader book about a boy with an imagination that takes him above and beyond! We didn't market it much back then but recently decided to try again. Especially since he has so much more wonderful material he wants...and needs to publish. So it is now on Kindle at Amazon It will be available in hardcopy in the next week or so. BUT I do plan on doing a give away as I have some of the copies from the first publishing...in exchange for a review. More on that next week!

Super special needs video!

We have chosen to home educate but this video is awesome and can be applied to socializing at church,community, and in our homeschool groups. I really like this I am Norm program!

Art and Music

I must admit that these two subjects are some of our favorite things. We do a lot of art at home and Z~girl has taken art classes a few times over the years with other homeschool children.(art plus socializing-can't get much funner than that!)There is also much to learn about art and music online. We especially love using the skills we have learned and entering exhibits in the state fair. We do shoe box floats,A~man decorates a boot in the special needs category, and we make paintings using acrylic and watercolor. Most years the kids and sometimes myself do some pictures in pencil and colored pencil. It's a fun thing that the kids and I look forward to every year. Oh also yearly the kids and I participate in a sidewalk chalk art contest!

The above drawing Z made was two years ago.

This fabulously colorful one was done by A~man 2 years ago.

This last year we learned through picture books about famous artists and we also love playing this Go Fish game. This year Z and I decided to pick our favorite artist/picture and do it with chalk.

I did Van Gogh's Night Visions.

Z did Senecio by Paul Klee

Both A and Z just this year started music lessons. Z loves playing her violin/fiddle...ultimately she wants to play fiddle but the Suzuki Method she has been taught is fabulous. A~man just started playing the drums and is doing very well with it.

I think the "arts" are a very important part of education. It stimulates your brain like nothing else can. Whether through playing an instrument, creating art, or learning the basics through Art and Music games.
The creative possibilites are limitless!

Lego and Robotics Education

Awhile back I mentioned that we entered this Lego Education Contest. All the entries have been submitted(and there are a lot of excellent ones by homeschoolers and regular school) so we are waiting...

Hubby and the kids continue to have fun learning with Lego and making lots of fun videos. Just this week we had Lego and Robotics club which is a 4H group we belong to. It is run by a an awesome homeschool mom that also has a very informative blog on all things homeschool. She featured us in her blog and I just wanted to share it with all of you. Please take a peek. Lego and Robotics Academy

I love fall...

WAIT I already said that didn't I? Oh well I guess I will just have to post some more pretty pictures.

Happy Fall Y'all!!!