tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79229088821048866872024-03-12T22:41:09.870-07:00 Who's learning? Who's teaching?Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.comBlogger442125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-61334657197248796212016-10-13T19:38:00.000-07:002016-10-21T07:22:10.654-07:00Where do I start?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><i>I’ve lost my writing mojo.It has been one of the most emotional years I’ve ever been through but haven’t felt like getting any of it down in writing. I honestly do not feel like I can now except to say that my mom passed away. It feels like I am missing a part of my heart.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enough about that, at least for now, since I thought I would start back blogging with doing a more positive slant with a list of my 10 favorite things right now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>God</b>- he’s always on the top of my favorite things list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>My husband and kids-</b> They always have a way of making me smile and laugh. I'm enjoying their fall sports and spending time outside with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>My extended family-</b> Due to circumstances, I have seen many of them quite a few times this year and I have LOVED my time with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Local friends</b>...new and old. I treasure my friends even when I do not see them often.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>My BFF from SD-</b> She treats me like a sister and welcomed me into her home while I was there. She was such a strong support to me during a difficult time. I only wish we lived closer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Homeschooling-</b> We are </span><a href="http://letshomeschoolhighschool.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">homeschooling high school</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> now! Where did the years go? On our first trip to visit my mom while she was sick I brought my daughter. “School” had to stop for a bit. Of course, life is learning so both kids were always learning even if it was "life lessons". </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Our pets-</b> 4 chickens, 1 rooster, 1 rabbit (we lost our second one a few months ago), and drumroll…..2 dogs. We still have our old pooch but we rescued a new puppy (or rather she rescued me) this spring. She’s a “Carolina Dog” and an awesome addition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Co-op Classes-</b> This is our second year doing them and the fellowship with other moms and kids in a small group has been so good for all of us. (<i>we honestly do not do as well in large groups</i>) My husband is even teaching a high school “Wars and Battles” class. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>My husband’s cooking-</b> MMMMMMMMMMMmmmm</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Fall-</b> After spending another summer with no A/C I am loving the cool weather. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Okay, I said 10 but I'm adding an extra...perhaps frivolous thing. <b>PUMPKIN. </b>Especially pumpkin muffins. Yum! Do you know this simple recipe? You take a can of pumpkin and a box of yellow (or chocolate) cake mix and combine them. Probably not the healthiest but they are a nice treat!</span></div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-32887437941585590792016-01-31T22:02:00.000-08:002016-01-31T22:02:51.981-08:00It's been almost a year since I have blogged...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Phew! I just looked back and see that it has been almost a year since I have blogged. That's something considering I have been blogging since my duo were toddlers...12+ years! (I started out somewhere else) The reasons I took a break are numerous, and some I won't mention, but I thought that considering I want to start back, that I would give a few reasons for my break.<br />
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I felt like I was talking to myself. This isn't a horrible thing considering I at times do it in real life but I do appreciate deeply the handful of people that consistently have commented over the years. I really cannot be too mad about it though because I have been guilty myself for reading but not commenting on blogs. I am going to change that though and hopefully spotlight once a month my favorite blogs/bloggers.<br />
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My daughter. I remember one initial reason I stopped was that my daughter read something I wrote online that described her as "shy". She does not like the word shy as to her it represents weakness. (I personally do not think being shy necessarily represents this) BUT I have been a lot more careful with what I put online about her. It is her right. This year she started mainly<a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool/high_school.shtml"> high school courses</a> *gulp*. It has been a HUGE year of growth for both A~man and Z~girl. I have so many tales to tell! Up until now I have put the ups and downs of parenthood and homeschooling but she is now 14.5 and I will be more careful with my wording and what I write. I do feel like my break has caused me to miss out on writing a bunch of positives and challenges with homeschooling/parenting that I do not want to forget. I also hope some of my positives will give others inspiration or hope...and to let them know they are not alone.<br />
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<i>Socialization.</i> Yeah, the word most dreaded in the homeschool world. I will expand on this one in a separate post but as a whole I, as a mom have been trying to be more social. As a special needs mom this isn't always easy. As an introverted special needs mom it is even harder but I was seeing that I needed to make the effort. Add in the fact I'm a bit quirky and you will see I have been very brave this year. The prior few years I felt myself crawling into a shell due to a couple situations and for the most part, it has been extremely worth the effort this last year.<br />
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So this week I will be revamping my blog and hopefully posting a couple of times a week. My header pictures are almost 2 years old and need updated. I have so much to share! Here are some recent photos starting with A~man bringing me a flower he picked in the yard a couple of weeks ago.<br />
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To a foot of snow! Here is some graffiti our dog did with his initial. </div>
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We had a whole lot of fun with the snow but I am so glad it is about melted!</div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-28430898287499642452015-02-12T17:50:00.000-08:002015-02-13T08:58:18.186-08:00Just in time for Mardi Gras: 5 Educational Resources<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What exactly is Mardi Gras? As an adult I know bits and pieces about the event from things I have read or heard over the years but only the basics, and I have never even been to New Orleans to experience it. I thought it would be fun to do a little research about this extravagant holiday.<br />
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Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years and has early ties to pagan spring and fertility ceremonies. Although it is celebrated in other countries it is first mentioned in North America in 1699 by French Explorer Pierre le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville who was camped on the Mississipi River near the present location of New Orleans. It is now more well known for its religious roots. The Roman Catholic Church permitted the festival as an event celebrated before the season of Lent. In New Orleans the festivities begin each year on January 6th, the Twelfth Night of the Epiphany.<br />
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Mardi gras is French for "Fat Tuesday". It is the Tuesday before Ashe Wednesday which is the beginning of Lent. Often Christians, especially those of the Catholic faith, give up something they enjoy leading up to Easter. So on Tuesday people are encouraged to indulge in food and drink before the fasting period of Lent.<br />
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Of course the festivities held in New Orleans, Louisiana go way beyond that. The biggest celebrations are held on Bourbon street and includes parades, Mardi Gras beads,and lots of food and drinks. The floats in the parade are extravagant and so are the costumes worn by people celebrating the event. The event even has official colors! Purple- which represents justice, Green- stands for faith, and Gold- stands for power. They were originally chosen by the King of the Carnival, Rex, in 1872. If you are an observer watching the parade you may get beads or doubloons handed out to you.The beads resemble jewels that royalty would wear and the doubloons also come in various colors, are about the size of a silver dollar, and have the krewes emblem and their theme for the year stamped on each coin.<br />
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A tradition of Mardi Gras is to bake a King Cake that has "plastic babies" inside. Whoever gets the slice of cake with the baby in it is crowned King or Queen of Mardi Gras and is responsible for hosting a party the following year. Want to learn more about the festival of Mardi Gras? Check out these great resources I found!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. <a href="http://www.spellingcity.com/view-spelling-list.html?listId=907796"><b>Mardi Gras Spelling List</b></a></span><br />
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Here's a list of words that would be great to use in correlation with any study of Mardi Gras. Another idea would to make your own list at Spelling City based on your child's grade level.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2.<a href="http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mardi-gras"><b> Mardi Gras History Videos</b></a></span><br />
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Here are several great videos on the origin, traditions, and food of Mardi Gras<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. <b><a href="http://www.holidays.net/mardigras/story.htm">The History of Mardi Gras</a></b></span><br />
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This site gives a more indepth history of how the holiday of Mardi Gras originated.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. <b><a href="http://www.homelifeabroad.com/diy-crafts/holidays/mardi-gras-diy/">Mardi Gras DIY Ideas</a></b></span><br />
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From how to make a King Cake, making a Jester Hat, to a healthy gumbo recipe...this site has all kinds of neat things to make and create!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. <b><a href="http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/">Official New Orleans Mardi Gras Website</a> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span>Maybe you would like to plan a trip to New Orleans? This site includes a schedule of events, tells about the parade and also has videos and historical information.<br />
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<b><i>I do want to put a slight disclaimer on some of the information as it can also be a bit of a risqué holiday. I would look through some of the information and videos before showing it to your children to make sure it is age appropriate. From all that I looked at I would show it to my children but they are 13 and 15. </i></b><br />
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-61947713670413678742015-01-21T22:30:00.002-08:002015-01-21T22:30:56.807-08:00January Winter Sky<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-44487125771361554382015-01-18T23:22:00.000-08:002015-01-18T23:22:46.109-08:00Confession: Things Will Not Always Go As Planned<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Oh my poor neglected blog. I'm not sure I have went this long without writing here. December was a rough month and every time I think of updating my blog I think of the bad stuff that has happened so I have avoided it. I have learned over the years though that things do not go as planned and often bad stuff happens by the bucketful. I swear I was getting to where I thought I needed a steel umbrella to go outside as I wondered if a brick would fall on my head next.<br />
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<i>totally stole this picture off the internet....sorry</i></div>
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Anyway...here is a summary of the past month in a run-on sentence paragraph that will make you think this homeschool mom NEEDS an <a href="http://onlinespellingprogram.com/">online spelling program</a> and possibly needs medicated.(please ignore spelling/grammar/and excessive amounts of ellipses for a few minutes)<br />
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It all started one night when due to the dry air in the house with the heat on I decided to run the very noisy humidifier (<i><b>note self inflicted guilt here</b></i>)...meanwhile outside unbeknown to any of us some type of critter...raccoon? crazed dog? coyote? chupacabra? decides to tear a small hole in one of our outside rabbits cages, pull my bunny by it's fur through the little hole literally skinning the animal leaving it's bald body dead for Z~girl to discover the next morning. Earlier that same night (I think it was the same night...it is all a terrible blur) hubby hears a commotion outside before he goes to bed and runs off a dog trying to tear apart our chicken coop. A week later our early bird Z~girl wakes to discover a yard full of dead chickens...6 to be exact scattered from our house to our neighbor's. These were her young chickens and somehow our 2 year old chickens thankfully remained in their own coop unscathed by the poultry violence. Results of 7 of Z~girl's pets (FRIENDS her critters go beyond being pets) being slaughtered? Anxiety attacks, depression, and an incredibly unhappy and understandably upset 13 year old. This in turn breaks a mama and daddy's heart, causes a lot of sleepless nights worrying about the rest of the chickens, remaining outside bunny coming in at night causing allergic mom asthma attacks. Oh...and the sighting of what may have been a coyote out in the yard by Z~girl yesterday. I haven't even mentioned Prader-willi syndrome and the holidays. So add in a few cups of PWS anxiety and excitement to the mix. I'm sure I have left out something. It has been TERRIBLE!! Not to mention January and the first part of Feb are hard on me due to it being my fathers birth/death month. My miscarriage eons ago in February. (1992 I think? We would have had a 23 year old by now)<br />
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The end of February brings on happiness though. The second weekend of February 15 years ago we got at a call from DSS saying they had a medically fragile infant that needed immediate placement. We didn't take him that weekend as we had weekend plans away which sounds selfish especially considering our years of infertility woes but if you consider that was the last overnight we spent alone....it was priceless. Even more priceless was that the following weekend we became parents of a most awesome A~man. The end of February 5 years after that we were awarded guardianship of this awesome boy. So I look forward to February!<br />
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PHEW....I am done with the bad stuff...I can move on with the good. Something very special did happen in December. This isn't typical with PWS but when we go to the grocery store Aubrey LOVES it. He loves talking to the people that work there and everyone ends up knowing him by name. (think of Norm off of Cheers) Anyway...one of the main butchers from our store got all of the people's names on a Christmas card and sent it for A and Z. So very special and I did send a letter to the store's corporate office praising the meat department and the store in general as they are awesome. Especially after our unfortunate event at a restaurant this fall. I think I will mention the awesome store which is <a href="http://www.ingles-markets.com/">Ingles</a>. (no I do not work there! haha!)<br />
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Despite the crappy month I want it to teach me to look for the good in the next year...and not let it be overshadowed by the bad stuff. </div>
Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-59300356474925355112014-11-30T08:31:00.002-08:002014-11-30T21:29:02.405-08:00Working From Home, Homeschooling, and Making it Work<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Being a homeschooling, work from home mom has both its challenges and also its very unique perks. I honestly feel like I was handed my current job as a wonderful gift. It was a little over three years ago and I was out hiking with a friend and she presented me with an offer I absolutely could not refuse. It was to do some online marketing for a homeschool site that I was already familiar with, because it was the curriculum that we had been using even before my children's<a href="http://thirdgradeonlinecurriculum.com/"> third grade online curriculum</a>. I am able to work from home for <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/">Time4Learning</a> AND I get to feed my passion for books by being an admin for <a href="http://homeschoolliterature.com/">Homeschoolliterature.com</a>. To say I was ecstatic is an understatement. (<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">years later I still am</span>!)</i><br />
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A few years ago I was also blessed to do homeschool curriculum reviews for the Old Schoolhouse Magazine. We were able to try out all kinds of fabulous curriculum and I did not have to spend much money at all for a couple of years on our curriculum. I've never really posted about this in my own blog but both my husband I also dabble in Doterra essential oils. Yeah, we are oily people. ;)<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here are just a handful of benefits I have found being a homeschooling, work from home mom-</span></b><br />
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1. I can set my own hours<br />
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2. I'm already a homebody so this helps me to able to stay at<i> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">home sweet home</span></i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">.</span><br />
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3. I do not need an extensive wardrobe.<br />
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4. If a child is sick I do not have to call in to work...I just adjust my schedule around my family's needs.<br />
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5. I get to spend lots of quality time with my family.<br />
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6. I can pick what hours my children work best at and work it into my own hours.<br />
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7. To some extent as long as I have access to a computer I can bring my work with me if we take a short trip.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Of course there is also the other side of the coin-</span></b><br />
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1. I have no insurance as I only work part time. This is probably one of my biggest stressors. Fortunately I am pretty healthy and I am currently not using any medications but paying for health care out of pocket when I do need it is not fun.<br />
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2. Sometimes too much family time, hahah! There are definitely times when all of us need a short period of time away from one another.<br />
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3. Not being able to leave work...in a building. What do I mean by this? I work from my computer and there are times I admit that I'm looking at work related stuff when I should be doing home/family things.<br />
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4. I do not need an extensive wardrobe BUT there are times I should probably dress up more. No, I do not wear my yoga pants everyday,haha, but I live in jeans and a t-shirt. I am now realizing that my daughter is picking up on this and it is hard to get her to wear anything else. Nothing wrong with wearing jeans and a t-shirt but it is fun to dress up every once in awhile.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">This isn't for everyone but there are some key tips in making it work for my family-</span></b><br />
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I am not a real stickler for a schedule....it seems like every year I try to adhere to one but it never ends up working in the end. Yet still with the many activities we have- school work, athletic events and practices, field trips, music lessons and <i>work, </i>I do have a bit of a relaxed schedule.<br />
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Most every week day I carve out at least 2 hour chunks of time in the day to work. Tuesdays it is 10 am- 12 pm but most days it is 3 pm- 5 pm with an occasional midnight work hour thrown in as I am definitely a night owl.<br />
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Our 13 year old daughter is an early riser and ends up getting up before us and doing a majority of her work before we even wake up. <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-style: italic;">(did I admit that?)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>She does a lot of interest led activities in the afternoon and also reads a lot. In the evenings either hubby or I will help her with her math program which is an area she needs extra help with. After that she practices her violin.<br />
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With our 15 year old son with Prader-Willi Syndrome and autism I supervise his computer work with about a 2 hour chunk of time either in the morning or before dinner depending on what part of the day I work. In the afternoon he has a short quiet time in his room followed by working on some self help skills.<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> (I will admit here to my special needs friends...when my son has a quiet time I typically take a short nap....it is what it is!)</span><br />
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Also, most every day unless it is REALLY cold we will either go walking or hiking for 3-5 miles.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Housecleaning?</span> Well I'm finally coming to the realization that my house is not going to look like the pictures I see in magazines. I am always working on de-cluttering but with having two teenagers now, I have a lot of help around the house. I try and keep the living room, dining room, and kitchen especially as neat as possible.<br />
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It also is very important and beneficial to connect with other homeschool moms who work from home. An awesome way to do that is through this linkedin group called <b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=8190802">Homeschooling and Working Parents</a>. </b>What better way to get advice than from other homeschool parents who work from home?<br />
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I can't tell you how much I appreciate a particular friend who on occasion will take Z~girl with her own daughter to swimming. We all went last time to the homeschool swimming but I think it is good for her to get away from us and also from her brother too on occasion. I hope to reciprocate that in the future!<br />
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I feel blessed as my hubby is often home too and able to watch the kids so I can go out to coffee with a friend, or a hike....this month I'm looking forward to going to a mom's cookie exchange!<br />
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The way I do things may seem hectic but that is what works for our family and that is the key, finding what works for your own individual family. <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Having a child with special needs demands flexibility in scheduling.</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What are some things that I will be working on in the coming new year?</span></b><br />
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There is definitely room for improvement in how I do things though. The main thing I want to do after Christmas is find a better space to work at that is quieter as I am easily distracted. Of course this would mean an additional computer as a lot of the kids school work is done on the computer.<br />
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I want to prioritize going on a date with my husband at least once a month instead of once a year. Our daughter is about old enough to stay home alone but I know she wouldn't be comfortable doing so. Our son requires near constant supervision so finding someone to watch him is no simple task.<br />
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I really want to get back into doing some of the hobbies that I love but have not done in a long time like sewing and art. It's easy to put me time on a back burner but I need to change that.<br />
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Is working from home and homeschooling easy? No, but it is definitely doable and I am thankful that I am able to make it work for our family!<br />
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-58892855678174506142014-11-16T15:25:00.000-08:002014-11-16T15:26:07.522-08:005 Ways to Make the Holidays More Enjoyable For Your Prader-Willi Syndrome Family<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone but for a family with a child with Prader-Willi Syndrome it can be extremely challenging. Time off from school, anticipation of presents, decorations, the hustle and bustle at stores, and all of the extra food and treats that go along with this time of the year can be absolutely overwhelming! There are things though that can be done to help life go on as calm and peaceful as possible. Of course what works for my family and I might be different than another family but I would like to share some things that we have discovered over the years.<br />
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<b>1. Routine-</b> Our children do not go to "school" as we homeschool but I have learned that time off, beyond a few days, only results in behaviors and anxiety. When a child with PWS gets bored...bad things happen, LOL. (laughing but NOT as it is the honest truth!) This is why for the most part we homeschool year around. We do take July off and a few days here and there throughout the year but keeping a routine going has only proved to be beneficial. Whether it is a<a href="http://firstgradeonlinecurriculum.com/"> first grade online curriculum</a> (or whatever grade you child is at), learning games on an iPad, puzzles, workbooks, or even work boxes. (<i>do a search for workboxes on Pinterest for lots of neat ideas!</i>) We also have both children keep up with their daily chores such as taking care of our many critters, doing their own laundry, and helping around the house.<br />
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<b>2. Food- </b>Yes....the F word. I try and keep up with eating the same type of diet we normally eat. I usually only make a couple of desserts for Thanksgiving (easier to pick from two than say....6 choices) and he gets one piece that day and one the next. During Christmas we normally make small batches of a couple of kinds of cookies. For both Christmas and Thanksgiving meals we keep the food very basic. When I was growing up the counters in the kitchen were covered with every holiday food imaginable! This is just not a good idea for someone with PWS. Truthfully all that food is overstimulating for even me! We will have ham or turkey, some type of potato, dressing, a couple cooked vegetables and always a tray full of raw vegetables. Often I prepare A~man's plate (I do not let him do it himself but he gives me input in what he would like) in the kitchen. (we do not place the serving bowls on the table) It helps to start with the raw veggies as they take up a lot of room on his plate and then add the other food. The only seconds he ever gets is a few more raw veggies. That sounds kind of strict but that is the way we have always done it so there are very rarely any complaints. After eating we try to put the food away as soon as we can as having it sitting can really cause him to feel anxious. He will actually remind us to put the food up if we do not right away.<br />
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<b>3. Exercise- </b>We walk daily (3-5 miles) and we especially try and keep up with it this time of year. Just this week though it has gotten bitterly cold so we plan our big walks for the days over 50 degrees...and on the other days we go walk at the mall. A~man LOVES to walk at the mall as it also gives him the opportunity to people watch. Our mall is never really busy but if it was it is also open before the stores are so people can walk in the winter. Another idea is swimming. A couple of winters ago we took the kids to an indoor pool and they swam laps (which they actually love) and played 4-5 times a week. We also have a treadmill which our son doesn't mind but we only have him use it if we cannot do any of the other options.<br />
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<b>4. Activities</b>- We keep things pretty simple with presents and make a lot of them ourselves. Shopping can be hard for our son as he gets so excited to be getting something for other people AND he sees so many things that he wants. Hubby and I normally take him out once each so he can buy a present for each of us but most of the shopping I do is online. I'm not a big fan of crowds myself.<br />
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There are a lot of extra fun activities that happen this time of year. We try to limit it to one a week and what works for our son...is to only tell him the night before if we are going the next day. I know some people do well with calendars with the events happening over the month but this only causes our son to obsess, repeat what's happening, and get anxious about it. Of course telling him the night before doesn't always work as he has eagle ears and sometimes figures it out before hand. ;)<br />
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<b>5</b>. Last but certainly not least we talk about why our family celebrates Christmas. We have lots of books and videos that make this time of year very special for all of us. I'll share more on that later.<br />
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I'm hoping to do another post when I think of more things that work for us but I would love to hear what works for other peoples families during the holidays!<br />
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-3130876054878958102014-10-03T17:45:00.000-07:002014-10-03T17:45:27.034-07:00Friday Five Freebies~ Kindle Books 10/3/14<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Better late than never right? Well, I guess it is still Friday but I intended to have this finished up and posted this morning but it was a busy week! Now I remember why I do not plan out lessons daily because after a couple of weeks we always settle into our own schedule and everything pretty much falls in place. I do plan out goals and skills I want to cover during the year...but we always end up doing it in our own eclectic way. That's the awesome thing about homeschooling...you do what works for you and your family!</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Now on to the free (one is not free but it is cheap) books that I uncovered. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Petey-Bee-Dogs-Tale-Thomas-ebook/dp/B00EUSZJVI/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_18" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Petey and the Bee: A Dog's Tale (Sami and Thomas)</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Muddiest-Adventure-Ever-Shelly-Kostiuk-ebook/dp/B009VP7ULW/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_46" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Muddiest Adventure Ever</span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Facts-Ancient-China-History-Kids-ebook/dp/B00L99L9BK/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_51" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">101 Facts... Ancient China (101 History Facts for Kids)</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This one looks like it may also be good for middle school age children. </span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Orangey-Goldfish-Side-Story-No-ebook/dp/B00E9ZW30W/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_64" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orangey the Goldfish: Side Story No. 1</span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982482949/ref=as_sl_pd_tf_lc?tag=lipawe-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0982482949&adid=1S603TSAR1EWYEXN9GCW&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.homeschoolliterature.com%2Fbooks-by-grade%2Fgrades-3-5%2Fcody-greene-and-the-rainbow-mystery-by-linda-fields">Cody Greene and the Rainbow Mystery</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This one is only available for free if you have kindle unlimited. I have read this particular book and if you are interested in my review it is </span><a href="http://www.homeschoolliterature.com/books-by-grade/grades-3-5/cody-greene-and-the-rainbow-mystery-by-linda-fields" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here at Homeschoolliterature.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Adventures-Sawyer-Mark-Twain-ebook/dp/B004UJTG6Q/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_21" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Adventures of Tom Sawyer </span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Book-Sacred-Stories-Children-ebook/dp/B00F9JAUCU/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_8" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Children's Book: Sacred Stories (Moral Stories for Children (Volume 1))</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> If I got these I might look through them before I had my child read them but it looks pretty interesting.</span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prairie-Academy-Carlile-Corners-Book-ebook/dp/B00K0QQGR0/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_16" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prairie Academy (Carlile Corners Book 1) </span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fierce-Winds-Fiery-Dragons-Hollows-ebook/dp/B00JZ6QIME/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_68" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fierce Winds and Fiery Dragons</span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VRZIS8/ref=as_sl_pd_tf_lc?tag=lipawe-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B003VRZIS8&adid=11DH0W6GK2CX1EPDKAPP&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.homeschoolliterature.com%2Fbooks-by-grade%2Fgrades-3-5%2Fadventures-in-the-neighborhood-woods-2-the-secret-baseball-card-by-jesse-honn" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adventures in the Neighborhood Woods #2: The Secret Baseball Card </span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This one isn’t free but is 1.99. It’s a great read and if you want to read that review </span><a href="http://www.homeschoolliterature.com/books-by-grade/grades-3-5/adventures-in-the-neighborhood-woods-2-the-secret-baseball-card-by-jesse-honn" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">click here!</span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img src="http://www.theclassicarchives.com/images/tale2cities.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Two-Cities-Charles-Dickens-ebook/dp/B004EHZXVQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1412371147&sr=1-3&keywords=free+classic+kindle+books+from+kindle+store" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Tale of Two Cities</span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/End-Road-Jacques-Antoine-ebook/dp/B00E6IUKAM/ref=sr_1_23?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1412370340&sr=1-23&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+high+school" style="text-decoration: none;">End of the Road</a></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lake-Caerwych-Copper-Cobalt-Book-ebook/dp/B0055HRF24/ref=sr_1_56?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1412370798&sr=1-56&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+high+school" style="line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lake Caerwych (Copper & Cobalt Book 1) </span></a><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Chronicles-Broken-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00KF2FZWG/ref=sr_1_81?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1412370906&sr=1-81&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+high+school" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fallen (Chronicles of the Broken Book 1)</span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="400" src="http://pridenprejudice.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/3135577_com_pride_and_prejudice_jane_austen1.jpg" width="322" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008476HBM/ref=s9_hps_bw_g351_i9?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-7&pf_rd_r=1Y6SETXEBTA3YZAKAC58&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1877146842&pf_rd_i=2245146011" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pride and Prejudice</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(I have never read this!!)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lemon-Cure-Healthy-Recipes-Cleaning-ebook/dp/B00O05VOME/ref=sr_1_10?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1412378829&sr=1-10&keywords=free+books" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lemon Cure: 45 Healthy Lemon Recipes for Skin Care, Hair Care, Home and Laundry Cleaning</span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D9YO0KA/ref=s9_hps_bw_g351_i7?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-7&pf_rd_r=1Y6SETXEBTA3YZAKAC58&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1877146842&pf_rd_i=2245146011" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An Unforgivable Secret</span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Teresa-A-Life-Inspired-ebook/dp/B00N2F2YTU/ref=zg_bs_154606011_f_3" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mother Teresa: A Life Inspired</span></a></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Speedy-House-Cleaning-Organize-Declutter-ebook/dp/B00NTPSJDI/ref=zg_bs_154606011_f_77" style="text-decoration: none;">Speedy House Cleaning: How to Clean, Organize, and Declutter your Home in Half the Time</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A woman can dream can't she?</span></h1>
<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i>HAPPY FRIDAY!!!</i></span><br /></div>
Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-20597701239997812312014-09-26T15:37:00.000-07:002014-10-05T08:17:52.620-07:00Friday Five Freebies~ Kindle Books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJXKkMjnyfnMJVkIWYptBt0qoy41yM5mPbuT-zVeVdqREpW8UGpdPy835oqGa2QI7cXJeUvS6YWCZbhw7TyMbzkowzII6bxLW4k3J5fKs4_tyEXew0OBRKncQPEh7S5hN8OW7gcIZRuwR/s1600/freebie+books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJXKkMjnyfnMJVkIWYptBt0qoy41yM5mPbuT-zVeVdqREpW8UGpdPy835oqGa2QI7cXJeUvS6YWCZbhw7TyMbzkowzII6bxLW4k3J5fKs4_tyEXew0OBRKncQPEh7S5hN8OW7gcIZRuwR/s1600/freebie+books.jpg" height="387" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">It has been a busy month and a half with school starting back up and we had loads of fun entering things in the fair a couple of weeks ago. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've also discovered planning the school year for a 7th grader is a lot different than when I was planning around my daughter's <a href="http://www.fourthgradeonlinecurriculum.com/">4th grade online curriculum</a>. </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">I</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have had a bit of a writer’s block the last couple of months so I had an idea since I LOVE books. Until the end of October and maybe later, I am going to come up with a free Kindle list of children’s books, plus some mama books for Fridays. I will also try and add a couple books that I have read that are inexpensive. I haven’t read all of these books but I’m pretty picky about books and the ones I will list are ones that either I would allow my child to read or that I would consider reading myself. (with the exception of the high school ones’ as my children are not to the maturity level of some I may suggest) </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Use your discretion on what looks appropriate for your own child.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Early Elementary Books</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img src="https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/k/kipling/rudyard/jungle/images/image24.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rikki-Tikki-Tavi-Rudyard-Kipling-ebook/dp/B004C43I68/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_46" style="color: #1155cc;">Rikki-Tikki-Tavi</a></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Search-Pirates-Treasure-Gerry-Gaston-ebook/dp/B0097X0EY8/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_51" style="color: #1155cc;">Search for the Pirate's Treasure</a></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3<span style="color: #1155cc;">. </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Tales-Every-Child-Should-ebook/dp/B0083ZL5EY/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_31" style="color: #1155cc;">Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know</a></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/HOUND-HANNAH-HANNAHS-ISLAND-Book-ebook/dp/B00GWU2S6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411762874&sr=8-1&keywords=a+hound+for+hannah">A Hound for Hannah (Hannah's Island)</a> This book is only free if you have Kindle Unlimited. I have actually read this book awhile back and if you would like to read the review here is the link at <a href="http://www.homeschoolliterature.com/books-by-grade/grades-3-5/a-hound-for-hannah-by-eric-wiggin">Homeschoolliterature.com</a>. The plus with this book is that the main character is even a homeschooler!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Birds-Their-Quest-Happiness-ebook/dp/B00AQLW2KO/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1411707555&sr=8-19&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+kids+4-8">A Tale of Four Birds and Their Quest for Food and Happiness </a> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This one is also only available through Kindle Unlimited but looks super cute!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Middle School Books</span></span></div>
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<img height="256" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRh677z17h-oAPhjnZL6YqWgWD7CzDMB4rkIHyvy6aTiqc0FEu4nQ" width="320" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Garden-Frances-Hodgson-Burnett-ebook/dp/B00K5EBDX4/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_2" style="color: #1155cc;">The Secret Garden</a></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/EXIT-Apple-Grove-Gang-Book-ebook/dp/B0088GV98A/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411697153&sr=1-6&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+kids+9-12" style="color: #1155cc;">NO EXIT (The Apple Grove Gang Book 1)</a></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aster-Wood-Lost-Maps-Almara-ebook/dp/B00MI6LEKO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411696999&sr=1-1&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+middle+school+kids" style="color: #1155cc;">Aster Wood and the Lost Maps of Almara (Book 1)</a></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.<span style="color: #1155cc;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deity-Chronicles-Origins-The-Book-ebook/dp/B00BX9GYV6/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_97" style="text-decoration: none;">Deity Chronicles: Origins (The Deity Chronicles Book 1)</a></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Papers-Pack-Stanley-Katrina-ebook/dp/B00B0MN89C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411706159&sr=8-1&keywords=stanley+and+katrina" style="color: #1155cc;">The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets (Stanley & Katrina Book 1)</a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Papers-Pack-Stanley-Katrina-ebook/dp/B00B0MN89C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411706159&sr=8-1&keywords=stanley+and+katrina" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;"> </a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This one is only free through Amazon Prime. (and no, I do not work for Amazon this is just a fun list as I LOVE books) I actually downloaded this one to our Kindle today and briefly looked through it. hILaRiOuS, but keep in mind I have an odd sense of humor. </span></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">High School Books</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Women-Louisa-May-Alcott-ebook/dp/B0082Z1CVQ/ref=zg_bs_155009011_f_37">Little Women</a></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divergent-Ultimate-Interactive-Quiz-Books-ebook/dp/B00L2I3CB8/ref=sr_1_25?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411696412&sr=1-25&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+teens+and+young+adults" style="color: #1155cc; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;">Divergent: The Ultimate Interactive Quiz Book (Divergent Series Quiz Books 1)</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This is not the Divergent book but a Quiz book for kids that have read the book.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Reign-Middle-Adventure-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B00CVK128Q/ref=sr_1_32?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411696412&sr=1-32&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+teens+and+young+adults" style="color: #1155cc; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;">Keeper of Reign: Young Adult/ Middle Grade Adventure Fantasy (Reign Fantasy Book 1)</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zero-Nephilim-Chronicles-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00HGITH6W/ref=sr_1_51?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411696770&sr=1-51&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+teens+and+young+adults" style="color: #1155cc; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;">Zero (The Nephilim Chronicles Book 1)</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Key-True-Reign-Book-ebook/dp/B00GOHVFPW/ref=sr_1_69?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411696921&sr=1-69&keywords=free+kindle+books+for+teens+and+young+adults" style="color: #1155cc; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;">The Key (The True Reign Series Book 1) </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="line-height: 27.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moms need to take time for themselves too and reading is such a fun escape. I like to get a good book and hide in the bathtub... shhhh! Here is a list of books that I have not read yet but they definitely caught my interest! </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.15;">1.</span><span style="line-height: 36.7999992370606px;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GHNIRK/ref=s9_hps_bw_g351_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_r=0QZWC5W5ZN0YWK66SMMZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1877008762&pf_rd_i=2245146011" style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Les Mis</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">é</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GHNIRK/ref=s9_hps_bw_g351_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_r=0QZWC5W5ZN0YWK66SMMZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1877008762&pf_rd_i=2245146011">rables</a> (I can't believe that I have never read this one!)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EPYYDQ/ref=s9_hps_bw_g351_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-7&pf_rd_r=0QZWC5W5ZN0YWK66SMMZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1877146842&pf_rd_i=2245146011">Paradise Valley (The Daughters of Caleb Bender Book #1)</a> I think this one is already on my Kindle waiting! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Long-Time-Alpine-Mystery-ebook/dp/B006DNW4QG/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411765400&sr=1-5">Cold A Long Time: An Alpine Mystery</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Every-Purpose-Heaven-Womans-Africa-ebook/dp/B00AM11II0/ref=sr_1_10?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411765400&sr=1-10">A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven (One Woman's Trip to Africa - My Story)</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nikola-Tesla-Imagination-Invented-Century-ebook/dp/B00CATSONE/ref=sr_1_19?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411766106&sr=1-19">Nicola Tesla: Imagination and the Man That Invented the 20th Century.</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope you enjoy some of the books on this list and I look forward to searching for more to add next Friday so check back. </span></div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-9469859894390592412014-09-12T14:17:00.000-07:002014-09-13T08:41:38.747-07:00Dear Waitress Who Growled At My Special Needs Son<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Yesterday we had an unfortunate situation at a local restaurant that left us extremely upset. Here is my response to the rude behavior we witnessed. I did leave out the name of the person. ETA- I am going to name the restaurant as I would hate for someone to think it was a different place. <u>Fortune Asian</u> is the name of the restaurant this happened at. </b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dear Waitress Who Growled At My Son,</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As you know we have been in the restaurant where you work many times over the last year or more. We enjoy the food and it is near our home, but with each time we have gone you have made it more obvious how much you do not like for us to choose your restaurant to dine in. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At first I thought you were having a bad day, very quiet, or maybe just had a lot going on in your life that would make you look with dread each time you seated us at a table. Yes, I did notice the eyerolls you would give us when we ordered too. Looking back I wonder what kept us going back except that the food was very consistently good and reasonably priced. I was a waitress years ago and I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt which is why we kept returning. Yet, I still always hoped that someone else would wait on our table and every once in awhile someone else would. They were always courteous, polite, and made us feel welcome.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has been over a month since we have dined there and we decided to return because our son wanted to go there. The look on your face when you saw us come in the door should have been enough. Yes, I noticed. My husband went to the restroom and my son tried to strike up a conversation with you. I heard it. You growled at him, gave him and I the stink eye and walked off. Initially I thought I was hearing things as why would an adult “growl”. I asked my daughter and she said that yes, you growled at her brother. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once my husband returned to the table and I briefly explained your rudeness he agreed we should leave. On the way out the door I told you, “We will never come back here.” Your response? You smiled, shook your head and said, “okay”. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After talking with a couple of friends I still want to give you the benefit of the doubt as maybe you did not realize my son has special needs. Despite the fact that my son has always been polite and well behaved in your restaurant he does talk a lot. A LOT. He also asks a lot of questions and at times they are pretty off the wall. The question he asked you was not offensive and it wasn’t even really rude...it was just off the wall. He asked you if the other man working there was your son.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I know for a fact from other times dining there that your children often work there with you. He was not trying to be rude he was trying to strike up a conversation and he knew the one time he asked if the two children that were there were yours...you actually spoke to him. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will be the first to say that my son can be challenging to be around. Maybe you should know though that he has autism and that he also has a disability called<a href="http://www.pwsausa.org/about-pws/basic-facts-about-pws"> Prader-Willi Syndrome</a>. Without going into too many unnecessary details a few of the ways these two challenges affect my son is with excessive talking, being socially appropriate, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and impulse control. (those are just a few of the many challenges he has to deal with daily, just a drop in the bucket) He tries so hard...and he has come a long way in his 14+ years. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One way that we try and teach our son is by bringing him out in the community and helping him learn how to act appropriately, and what is socially acceptable around people. With all honesty I can say he has never been a bother at the restaurant you work at except with sometimes being a little too loud and obviously by annoying you somehow. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve explained my son’s challenges with his sometimes out of the ordinary behavior so you know why he is the way he is. I should also say that in any other restaurant we have been to in Hendersonville (and we have many favorites) he and our family have been treated with nothing but respect. In fact, he becomes a favorite of waitresses and customers, despite his many challenges he is the most charming person you will ever meet. Unfortunately, due to your rudeness (I would love to hear the excuse you have for your rudeness by the way) you will never get to know this. You are truly the one missing out on his pure and sweet awesomeness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~J~</span><br />
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-25895028657674709072014-07-28T09:05:00.000-07:002014-07-28T09:21:59.234-07:00Review- Adventures in Mindful Living's 6 Week Transformation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This spring I was able to try out a 6 Week Transformation that a local friend and homeschool blogger created. I definitely needed a kick start to change some of my old bad eating habits and this was just the thing! Weight loss is something I really need to focus on but more than that making wise food choices that would affect how my body worked. Sure, that doughnut for breakfast sounds appealing but 20 minutes later it will lay in your stomach like a rock. Amber from Adventures in Mindful Living gives you a healthy plan that assists your body to work they way God intended it.<br />
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<img alt="6 Week Transformation with Amber Neal Adventures In Mindful Living" src="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/transformation-adspot.jpg" title="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/6-week-transformation/information-6-week-transformation/" /><br />
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So what is a good choice for breakfast instead of that doughnut? A protein shake full of fruits and veggies! This is something we already would make on occasion but Amber has some amazing recipes and combined with some Juice Plus protein powder it will truly stick with you until lunchtime. If I were to have a doughnut I would be hungry an hour later.<br />
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What about lunch? Typically I would make sandwiches for lunch. Amber gave me several recipes for healthy, hearty, and delicious soups for lunch. What I really liked was the recipes would make a huge batch of soup so I could eat it for more more than one meal. My family joined me in eating the soups too!<br />
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Dinner is the area that I didn't follow the plan like I should. Amber comes up with a weeks worth of dinner recipes but considering my husband loves to cook he ended up using his own creativity for what we had in the evenings. The meals I did make were very yummy and satisfying though and were tailored around whether you were a vegetarian or not. We like both types of meals so those were the recipes we were given.<br />
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The 6 Week Transformation goes beyond just a meal plan though. Each week she gives you a step to focus on to improve your health such as healthy snack choices and drinking enough water. She also gives you lots of recipes for some yummy snacks and plenty of recommendations for serving sizes with your nightly meals.<br />
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I didn't lose weight (I need to break the bad habit of snacking at night) but that was due to not following it exactly the way it is intended. I did gain a lot of good habits though as I am drinking plenty of water, I've about quit all soft drinks (except maybe a couple of times a month), and most mornings I am still drinking the yummy vitamin packed smoothies. My son now begs me to make him one too in the morning when I make one for my hubby and I. I will also be continuing with the soups for lunch.<br />
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If you are interested in the 6 Week Transformation I really encourage you to visit Amber over at<a href="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/6-week-transformation/information-6-week-transformation/"> Adventures in Mindful Living</a>. That link will take you over to all the information you might need to get started! If you look through her wonderful blog you will also be able to find a lot of the delicious smoothie, soup, and dinner recipes that I was able to try out.<br />
<img alt="Berry Cherry Smoothie! One of the many delicious and really good for you smoothie recipes on Adventures in Mindful Livings Smoothie Love Series! Come check it out!! " src="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/berry-cherry-smoothie1.jpg" height="320" width="287" /><br />
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In fact here is a link to my favorite smoothie recipe- <a href="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/berry-cherry-smoothie/">Berry Cherry Smoothie</a>. I replaced the almond milk with rice milk due to allergies my son and I have. It is SO YUMMY! I also discovered by accident that if you by chance put your baby spinach in the freezer (oopsy!) that it works just fine in your smoothies. I think it even blends up better frozen.<br />
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I highly encourage you to check this program out if you need to make some changes in your diet whether it is for weight loss of just to feel better! Right now Amber is having a special where you get the program free when you order the Juice Plus Complete protein mix from her. I have tried out numerous protein powders over the last 30 (yes 30 hahaha) years and this was honestly my favorite.</div>
Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-40002559654280213762014-07-18T11:51:00.001-07:002014-07-18T11:51:43.994-07:00Review:Experience History Through Music With Diana Waring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I was growing up in school history was one subject that due to lack of interest and a teacher that merely read from a textbook, was not a subject I adequately learned. In fact, I flunked my first history class in college (did I just admit that?). Most of the information I was learning for the very first time and it definitely made taking a Humanities class a tremendous challenge for me. That is one of the many reasons I decided to homeschool due to not getting the education I should of in History and in some other areas. When I was given the opportunity to try out<a href="http://www.dianawaring.com/store/experience-history-through-music"> Diana Waring Presents Experience History Through Music</a> I was very excited. Despite the fact that history did not interest me when I was young (most likely due to how it was presented) I am very interested in history now and teaching my children about it. </span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-4b2d76dd-4a3f-0e73-a003-96d4851ef17a" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s so much easier for a person to learn information, especially facts, when they are young. I have discovered with my own children that they learn best when history is presented in a variety of ways such as videos, hands on projects, historical novels, field trips, AND MUSIC! Ever since they were wee both of my children have responded so much to music. For years and years every Christmas my daughter Z~girl would ask for a fiddle for Christmas just like Pa’s from Little House on the Prairie. Almost four years ago she finally got her wish and started Suzuki violin lessons. Still...she wasn’t completely happy until a couple of years after that she also started fiddle lessons. </span></span></div>
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Along with the music CD's are books. The books we received for this review were<b> Westward Ho!</b></div>
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and <b>Musical Memories of Laura Ingalls Wilder</b></div>
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<b>The other book is America The Heart of a New Nation</b></div>
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Each book allows you to experience the history that goes along with the music on the CD's. Included are dozens of historical pictures and interesting stories to help the reader, and the listener, experience a moment in history. Each of the songs goes along with a story in the book. The books also have sheet music and chord charts! </div>
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What did we think of it? Well the minute I put the CD on my son A~man started dancing around the living room! A~man has special needs and it is so much easier for him to learn if he is able to move around and participate along with listening to a book. I'm also hoping to get Z~girl started learning some of the songs in the book on her fiddle. I personally LOVED the old photographs that went along with stories. For me it makes if feel so much more real to see photos from that time in history!</div>
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These books are available at the <a href="http://www.dianawaring.com/store/experience-history-through-music">Diana Waring Presents website</a> for $18.99 each but in July 2014, all three books along with the CDs are available for $50.00 as a set. For the amount of historical stories and music contained with it I think that price is very reasonable. </div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-51066365991467083752014-07-09T13:53:00.000-07:002014-07-09T13:53:06.328-07:00How Much Do You Depend on Technology?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I honestly think that the fact I can access my computer whenever I want is something I have taken for granted. We have had a computer in our home for probably 16 or 17 years and I never really think about how much I do on the computer daily whether it is blogging, work, the kids online school work, or just playing on Facebook, but then let it break down.<br />
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Last week our computer called it quits beyond repair. I completely went into a panic as I had so many things I was working on and so many things that needed to be completed. Without a computer I could do none of the tasks that I needed to. I even thought about going to the library but that would have been about impossible as my computer had all of the passwords saved of everywhere I needed to go to online for work. I was just thankful that we had finished up pretty much all of the kids schoolwork for the year so there was no<a href="http://www.science4us.com/elementary-homeschool-science/"> homeschool science</a> falling behind. I did find myself without thinking, going towards the computer numerous times to look up a phone number, look on Amazon...<br />
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Yesterday we got a new computer and I spent the afternoon scouring through old emails looking for passwords I needed. (there were a LOT) It was a relief when I was able to get most of it lined back out and complete the stuff I needed to. I will definitely be spending the rest of the week playing catch up though.<br />
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What did I get done while I was without a computer? The house was a lot cleaner that is for sure, hahaha! I also played games with the kids and spent more time outside walking and watching the chickens. We had a super fun Saturday that I hope to blog about soon. So it was definitely not time that was wasted but hopefully next time I have better control on when I get to spend a computer free weekend!<br />
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How much do you depend on technology on a daily basis? </div>
Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-2701552994281477192014-06-29T08:55:00.001-07:002014-06-30T11:25:35.211-07:00PWS Weekend!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This weekend we were fortunate to be able to go to a mini Prader-Willi Syndrome conference. We have never been to one although we have been able to attend a few fund raising walks. It's so nice to get together with other families that "get it". Not all individuals with PWS are alike but being around other families that have gone through similar situations makes me feel less alone in this sometimes crazy little world I live it.<br />
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What is TRULY amazing is seeing the little ones under 5 years old. PWS has come a long way due to growth hormone and early intervention. A~man walked and talked when he was around 3 1/2 years old but his speech at that time was only recognizable to hubby and I and he was very unsteady on his feet. He did start GH when he was two but at the time it was very unusual to start it at such a young age. Now,they are starting growth hormone as a very young infant. I was amazed to see a particular little guy that wasn't even 2 and he was walking very steady on his feet...no one would have guessed he had PWS.<br />
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We were able to have a short one on one session with Dr. Miller (pediatric endocrinologist specializing in PWS) which was very informative. Most of the advice she gave us had to do with improving some of his social skills. I didn't notice it before (how did I not?) but he really needs to work on his eye contact when he is conversing with someone. I think part of it was he was so distracted by what was going on around him. He also need to work on having more reciprocal conversations. He tends to do most of the talking, LOL.<br />
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A~man met several new friends but he totally loves the little ones. One of his newest best buddies (as he said) is 7 and they had so much fun hanging out together. A~man even convinced him to come and see the<br />
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He even met a sweet girl that is close in age to him. He saw a picture of her on my Facebook and wanted to meet her but the first day we were there he stayed as far away from her as possible. Then when we weren't around her he talked about her non stop.LOL By the second day he had stopped playing hard to get and they were good friends. They have a lot of similarities to each other. I'm hoping to get him to write a letter to her. (he NEEDS to work on his writing)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Is she a cutie or what?</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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We are pretty much done with school for the year except for a couple of things. I find it best that they both have<i> something </i>to occupy themselves or they will fight more than they already do. With both we plan on doing a "word of the day" thing to improve their regular vocabulary and <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/readingpyramid/vocabulary.htm">reading vocabulary</a> which reminds me! With the end of year testing A~man's progress is very gradual....like progressing just a few months at a time over a year. (and sometimes regressing) At times this has been depressing to me but it is what it is and I'm just happy that I can see him progressing and maturing in ways that cannot be measured by a test. BUT in oral expression, picture vocabulary to be exact, he progressed a couple of years! That totally blew me away even though I already knew he was pretty good at talking...now to get him to improve on the listening. </div>
Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-8434656546382833892014-06-22T21:40:00.000-07:002014-06-22T21:42:03.154-07:00Oh what a weekend....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Can I be honest with ya? I am tired...no, <span style="font-size: large;">not tired</span>, <span style="font-size: large;">TIRED</span>! <span style="font-size: x-large;">Worn out!</span> On average we have PWS issues pretty much on an even keel. That isn't to say we do not have daily issues but they are manageable. Sometimes when things are too calm...I get nervous and them <i>WHAM, </i>we get hit by the Prader-Willi Syndrome truck. It normally happens after things have just been going along way too well and uneventful. I'm not talking about a little issue but every few months it will hit us big time.<br />
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As my <a href="http://www.techdadz.com/the-prader-willi-syndrome-monster/">hubby said</a> in a blog he did a couple of months ago, most of our son's issues center around impulse control. He doesn't...maybe he can't (at times) think of what a dangerous consequence some of his actions may cause. Yesterday he heard us talking about a little girl with PWS that was in the hospital because of ingesting something she shouldn't have and she was very sick. I think it scared him and he went into confession mode and brought us an empty bottle of medicine. We lock up medicine and a few weeks ago I went through the lock box and threw away expired medicine and medicine we no longer use. I put it quite a ways in the garbage with stuff on top but I think that is where he must have gotten it. <b><i>His story kept changing.</i></b> We tore his room apart looking for the pills and he ended up bringing most of them to us that he had in a baggy but we still called poison control. Fortunately it wasn't a dangerous med but one for reflux.<br />
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Last night things spiraled into a really horrible meltdown. He feels guilt of some sort after the fact. Not sure if it guilt that he did it or that he got caught.<br />
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If anyone out there might be thinking<i> "gosh they do not watch their child very well"</i>. Literally except when he is asleep (and we have a hall alarm) one of us has our eyes on him....except when he is using the restroom but we know when he comes and goes. Even though my son seems so loud...always talking, when he wants to be quiet and sneaky<i> he will find a way! </i><br />
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After the storm of an event like this his behavior gets bad with continuous meltdowns. He is normally a very calm happy go lucky young man. He is truly the funniest person I have ever met. (<b>and let me tell ya...my hubby is FUNNY!</b>) Today I stood eye to eye with him (he's almost as tall as I am) and he looked so full of rage and anger that it scared me. (BTW it's best to give someone with PWS in a meltdown some physical space and time to cool down) I'm looking forward to things calming down around here. I've already done the mama guilt thing so I do not need anymore as I know that I do my very best.....but sometimes I lose my <b>super-hero cape</b> and things slide past me. Us special needs mamas (and daddies and siblings) have a lot to deal with,<b> </b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>a lot</b>. </span>We learn from our mistakes and move on....<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Found these cute photos on my camera that my bug and critter luvin' girl took</b>. </span></div>
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This week will be a busy one. Last week Z~girl started a theater camp and is LOVING it! They learned some skits and will be performing them at libraries around our county. It has been so good for her. Despite the fact that she is a introvert like I am she<b> LOVES </b>to be on stage. When she was much younger she was in several plays and loves playing her fiddle/violin for an audience. I cannot wait to see the performance.</div>
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She is in the middle of an online writing class (Time4Writing.com) and A~man is finishing up an online reading program. (ReadingKingdom.com) We will be keeping plenty busy with that so we may only have extra time for doing some reading and some<a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/educational_videos.html"> educational songs</a> for A~man. Next weekend we will be traveling for a day trip to go to our first PWS conference and I am very excited to meet some old friends and some new ones too that share our journey!</div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-61467808728958085642014-06-14T22:49:00.000-07:002014-06-14T23:13:30.391-07:00Daddy Memories<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>On my tenth birthday my parents took me to Canada. </b></span></div>
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Today I went digging through my basement looking for photos to discover that my basement is VERY damp (no AC right now) and the photographs felt very damp and were starting to curl. I LOVE my photos even though I haven't done much with them so after I finish up editing my niece's wedding photos that I took last month...I will be scanning all of my childhood photos (some are not salvable) on my computer in the next couple of months and also on some type of remote storage device.<br />
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One thing I was noticing in so many pictures is that my dad often had a camera around his neck or even more often wasn't in the photos because he was taking most of the pictures. I had never thought about where I got my love of taking pictures till last month when my nephew (an adult close to my age) made some comments. He brought up how grandpa always had a camera and it is a family joke that grandpa liked to take photos of his family eating. WHY? I could speculate. I had older parents that grew up during the Depression and although I know my moms family was well off my dad's family was living in Kansas during the Dust Bowl. I remember family teasing my dad that he had thistles to eat as a child. Not sure how true that was but that could possible be a reason. He grew up VERY poor. Dirt poor. Another possibility is that the family was normally together as a group when they were eating so it was a good opportunity to get a picture of many. Of course so many of the photos had us shoveling it in. hahaha! For what its worth I got a bunch of eating pictures at the wedding in his honor. ;)<br />
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I can't describe how much I miss my dad and I have so many regrets. In my teen years I was not a wild teen and my parents were pretty strict but any of my "monthly angst" was targeted at my father. He was an early morning happy person...even at a young age I was <b>never </b>a morning person and only now can giggle at the things he said <i>every single morning....</i>things like "Did you sleep with your eyes closed?" or " Are you up for all day?" I'm sure those comments were met with either "DAD!!!" or a cold stare.<br />
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Plus before kids and when they were wee he was in the beginning stages of alzheimers. I wasn't patient or kind at times. He did some strange things and asked the same thing over and over and over. (maybe my own father was preparing me for me parenting A~man?) He (and my mom) LOVED both of our children dearly. With my dad there was no difference that one grandchild was biological and one wasn't, he<b> loved</b> them. He loved all of his grandchildren so very much! He would try and push A~man in his stroller in a store though and would wander off. This would freak me out at the time because our son was attached to a lot of monitors etc and was very medically fragile. I would fuss. At the time I did not understand the disease at all but after the fact I do from a dear local friend of mine <a href="http://jeannot-lifelessons.blogspot.com/">(here's her blog )</a> that took care of the kids when they were little. Her dear sweet husband had alzheimers and I was fortunate to get to know him a bit.<br />
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I have major guilt issues due to all of that as even though my dad was older he did so much <i>with</i> me as a child. He tossed the softball around with me, pitched the ball to me, and rode many miles of bike rides with me. I am sure I got spoiled as a child more than the others but he loved every single one of us even when we were not very lovable. He got me music lessons. He got me art lessons. He got me riding lessons. He knew my love (okay, obsession) with horses and even though I never got my own we often had a horse in our pasture for me to take care of and ride. One of our neighbors had a couple of horses that had not been taken care of very well before he got them and I was able to pour out my horse-girl love on them. YES, I was that crazy horse girl from the tween/teen novels. I lived horse. As a teen I was a clothes hound. I was the last of the kids and I'm sure as a child I got more stuff. Yes, when it came to shopping I was a spoiled teen. ( I did get a job early on though) He gave me so much when he grew up with absolutely nothing monetarily. (he did have a load of love from his own mom though) I'm not sure about his father as he passed away before I was born and I have never heard much about him except that he was a quiet man of little words. He was a very good dad to us. Perfect? No. Perfection is from our heavenly father.<br />
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Guilt aside, I hope he is smiling down at me with pride. I was definitely "daddy's girl". I am thankful that from the start he taught me about my heavenly Father. (he was a minister before I came along) He gave his all to his children. Hopefully he knows how much I love and appreciate him. I look forward to seeing him again some day!</div>
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Okay, on a lighter note our homeschool testing is done for the year. That probably should be a whole "nuther" post itself so I will keep it brief. The fact that Z~girl has <a href="http://www.time4writing.com/online-writing-tutor/">online tutoring in writing </a>has made a difference in her test scores even though she is only part way through the writing course. I admit that I had taken an unschooling technique to writing with her...but she was in need of some mechanics of writing that was better coming from someone online than me! I still encourage her creative writing but I look forward in seeing the difference of what her writing looks like after his course. So, I will be posting a post-testing blog in a few days....stay tuned for the good the bad....and the not so good. ;)</div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-87349931528389734112014-06-07T21:59:00.000-07:002014-06-07T21:59:01.343-07:00What are your plans this summer?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I do not know where this last year went but I'm dealing with the fact that by August I will have two teenagers. *gulp* A~man who will be 15 this fall is more than happy to be a teen and actually asked a girl at baseball to be his girlfriend today. (he had a different one last year, Lord help me, but it is all very innocent) This particular girl has liked him for years but he didn't realize it until I pointed it out.Yes, it may seem strange a mother pointing out to her son about a girl that likes him but it takes his mind off the fact that no, you cannot be boyfriend to the 20 year old barista from Starbucks. Last summer with his other friend that was a girl we met her at the movies and as a family we hung out with her family at their house.<br />
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Z~girl? She has some Peter-Pan type issues. She does NOT want anything to do with anything about teenhood. (is that a word? it is now!) Yet, she is highly responsible beyond her years, plays her violin without asking, does her chores and loves to help out in anyway she can. So...I really can't complain. So what if she has no interest in make-up or anything fru fru? She would rather read, care for and play with her many critters, play soccer and RUN. (running is her newest joy)<br />
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This next week we will be doing our annual <a href="https://www.time4learning.com/homeschool/state_homeschooling_info.shtml">state required homeschool testing</a> for our <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool/ChristianHomeschool.shtml">Christian homeschool</a>. We have always done the Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Achievement. I try and not fret about testing...yet I still do a bit at times. Testing A~man is truly just a formality as there is no test that can show how he measures up with anything. But he has come so far in his ability to sit there for hours, pay attention, and cooperate. The first year when he was 7? I thought I might have to pay the lady double. (joking but she was an amazingly patient tester)<br />
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I pretty much know how Z~girls testing will go. She is above grade level in all but math and writing. She is taking an awesome online writing course right now which will help. (I've been a bit unschooling with writing) Math? Math is the subject I worry with her and next year I need to find a homeschool math class for her. Math is not something I am good at teaching. I know how to do math and took it in college even but I am not good at explaining it.<br />
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After this week we will have a couple weeks of light schooling followed by taking July and part of August off! Z will be going to a theater camp that she is excited about! I'm still in the planning stages but one of the main things I want to do is camp.<a href="http://www.time4learning.net/content/blog-learning-while-camping-883/"> Here is a blog</a> I did awhile back for Time4Learning.com about learning while camping-<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">One of my children's favorite things to do in the summer is go camping. Being relatively cheap, (we use a tent) it is something we can do even if we are not able to go on an expensive vacation. We have also been known to camp in our own backyard! While it is definitely a fun and relaxing activity there are also many opportunities for learning while sleeping close to nature.</span><br style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">It's fun to have a scavenger hunt while hiking or even bring along an </span><a href="http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/animal-tracks-2/" style="background-color: color: black; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" target="_blank">animal track identification guide</a><span style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> in case you find animal prints. This is something that both younger and older children could do together. Bring a magnifying glass to inspect the smallest of insects! Having your child assist in the meal can also be fun as typically </span><a href="http://campingwithgus.com/camping-food-menu-planning/" style="background-color: color: black; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" target="_blank">camping recipes</a><span style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> are very easy to put together. We always bring along paper plates and napkins for easy clean up.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Art activities are fun to do outside even if they can be messy. When my daughter was much younger she loved to paint on the sidewalks with mud. Clean up with that one was easy with the spray of a hose. (or a dip in the lake!) Have you ever heard of </span><a href="http://www.redtedart.com/2012/11/14/kids-get-arty-andy-goldsworthy/">Land Art</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">? This is something I learned about years ago from my brother in law. You use items from nature such as rocks, leaves,flowers...really anything, and combine them to make something beautiful. </span><br style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">I cannot forget literature. Whether reading a book to get ready for camping or finding a nice quiet place in nature to relax and enjoy a good book, there are many choices.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><b style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">For the younger children- </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><i>Curious George Goes Camping by Margret & H.A. Rey A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris VanDusen </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><i>Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping by Peggy Parish </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><i>Henry</i></span></span><i style="font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> and Mudge and the Starry Night by Cynthia Rylant </i><br />
<i style="font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Camping Trip That Changed America by Barb Rosenstock</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /></i><b style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Here are a couple good chapter books about camping-</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /></b><i style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements<br />The Boxcar Children: The Camp-Out Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></i><b style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Here are some summer related chapter books with homeschool children as the main characters from<a href="http://www.homeschoolliterature.com/" style="color: black;" target="_blank">Homeschoolliterature.com</a></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;" /><i style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><b>Adventures in the Neighborhood Woods</b> Series by Jesse Honn<br /><b>The Adventues of Lil' Wolf, Twinkie, Toes, and Flower Girl in the Homeschool Forest </b>by Jacqueline R. Campos<br /><b>Alabama Moon</b> by Watt Key<br /><b>Cross-Country Treasure Hunt</b> (And the Mystery That Followed) by Gwen Lepkowski</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><b>Brian's Hunt</b> by Gary Paulsen</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><b>Summer at Steller's Creek</b> by Anne Cernyar</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><b>The Howling Vowels</b> by Leslie Schultz</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><b>Wright On Time </b>Book Series by Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentleyand one of my favorites- Homeschool on a Battlefield by Jennifer Lynn</i></span><br />
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-10514578381397844162014-05-31T20:51:00.000-07:002014-05-31T20:51:26.211-07:00Homeschool Field Trips-Special Needs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As we finish up our "school year" I look back and realize that we haven't taken nearly as many field trips as in years past. Why? Because we did not have reliable transportation this last year. Thankfully though just last week we have a new (to us) vehicle and I look forward to many field trips in the year to come. Hubby and I were just discussing tonight that we need to take the kids to the state capital as they (and WE as we are originally from a different state) have never been! It is important to learn writing, math, and all about <a href="http://www.vocabulary.co.il/contractions/">contractions </a> but so much can be learned on field trips...especially for a child with special needs. <a href="http://www.time4learning.net/content/blog-field-trips-special-needs-1011/">Here is an article</a> I wrote awhile back for work that I thought I would put in my personal blog.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Field trips are always a fun addition to any home school schedule. I feel this is even more important to families with special needs children. Not only are field trips fun and often times educational, but they can also help with social skills. Some of my favorite home school memories are of field trips with our friends and the bonds that are formed between my children and their friends. We live in an area with a lot of homeschoolers and my children have been fortunate to be around a lot of the same friends since we started homeschooling.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We started homeschooling halfway through my son’s kindergarten year and I admit field trips were not always successful in those early days. It would have been easy to completely avoid them (and I admit, sometimes I did) but I am glad I did take them to the ones we did…even during difficult times. What better time to learn appropriate social skill but while at an event with other homeschoolers? They learn to sit, listen, and pay attention by watching what their friends are doing. Is it always an easy process? No, but I have seen the progress my son has made by watching him interact with his friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We cannot tell our son too far in advance about an event but we normally tell him the day before. We explain where we are going, who we will see, and sometimes I will show him a picture of the place if it is somewhere we have not been to before. This seems to really cut down on the anxiety about the event. He loves going places but sometimes the excitement can cause behaviors even before the event. Letting him know all of the where, who, what, and why’s seems to help with this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I feel it is a huge benefit for a child with special needs to be around other children both typically developing and others with special needs. I think the benefit goes way beyond that of the child who has special needs. I know that it is not always easy to be around my son (<i>oh do I ever</i>!) but I think the benefits of children being around others with special needs is just as beneficial! The other children benefit by learning patience, tolerance, and empathy by being around children with special needs. Most likely if they were in public school their contact with special needs children would be limited, and my son’s contact with typical developing children would be even more limited. It’s definitely a win/win situation!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you are a family with a special needs child what are your experiences going on field trips with other homeschoolers? If you do not have a child with special needs is your home school group inclusive of families that have a child with special needs? I can tell you from experience acceptance and being inclusive of these families is beneficial for everyone.</span><br />
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-40165415614270733402014-05-25T20:57:00.001-07:002014-05-25T21:12:06.664-07:00Another school year almost complete!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Our family tends to school year round BUT it is that time of the year when we are trying to complete certain things before our testing in June. Also we will be taking July and part of August off, well Z~girl will...if A~man has too much time off he can regress and also get into mischief if he isn't kept at least somewhat busy. Z did just start an online writing program but besides math and a little spelling that will be it before her break. In the next couple of weeks A~man will be finishing up a reading program,doing some math, and maybe I will <a href="http://www.spellingcity.com/word-search.html">make a word search</a> puzzle for him using his spelling words.<br />
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What have I been doing? I was able to do a couple of guest blogs in one of my local blogger friends awesome blog. (did I really just use the word blog 3 times in one sentence?) I've thought about creating another blog just for essential oils but I am still undecided. For now I will post a link to my friend Amber's blog! Let me know what you think!<br />
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<a href="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/essential-oils-part-1/"><img alt="Essential Oils! Have you ever wanted to learn about Essential Oils? Have you wondered what they really do and what is all the fuss about? Then come along with us and learn all about them in this series at Adventures in Mindful Living! " src="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Essential-Oils-part1-.jpg" height="320" title="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/essential-oils-part-1/" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/story-thieves-oil-part-2-essential-oils-series/"><img alt="Essential Oil Series ( Part 2). Thieves Oil! What is it and how can it keep you well? Got some questions? Come ask them!! Adventures in Mindful Living!" src="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Essential-Oil-Seriespart2.jpg" height="320" title="http://www.adventuresinmindfulliving.com/story-thieves-oil-part-2-essential-oils-series/" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-59522478052621549882014-05-18T13:51:00.000-07:002014-05-18T13:52:41.303-07:00Book Review~Holding the Future Hostage: The Legacy of the Ruby Vial by Tialla Rising<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I haven't put a book review in my blog for quite awhile but I love my job which includes finding <a href="http://www.homeschoolliterature.com/">literature for homeschoolers!</a> I thought I would share part of the review of the book I just finished here in my blog! </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Joy’s Review</strong>-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What happens when the world as you have known it suddenly takes an unexpected spin? You end up in an adventure where you are not sure whether you are in the past, the present or the future. You also find out unexpected things about people that you thought you had known all about. That is where the author, Tialla Rising throws you when you sit down to read the exciting novel, “Holding the Future Hostage: The Legacy of the Ruby Vial by Tialla Rising”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It all started when Harnon, a young scientist, discovered something that was just beyond the universe that caused everything around it to react unusually. He named this invisible place , Abraxus-the “mystical world”. Harnon became obsessed with finding out more about this unusual place which lead to him consulting with evil and experimenting until his actions almost destroyed mankind. When he was done with his evil experiments the Vial appeared to him which had originated from the distant place Abraxus</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Do you want to read more about what I thought about the book? Go take a look at the complete review of<a href="http://www.homeschoolliterature.com/books-by-grade/grades-9-12/holding-the-future-hostage-the-legacy-of-the-ruby-vial-by-tialla-rising"> Holding the Future Hostage: The Legacy of the Ruby Vial</a> over at Homeschoolliterature.com!</span></div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-30783821031551118512014-05-14T14:04:00.002-07:002014-05-14T14:05:20.616-07:00PWS Awareness Month!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here are a few photos from today's homeschool field day. It was a fantastically fun afternoon. I have been really anxious about it as I have to stick pretty close to A~man. Not so much because of food but he has impulse control issues and can say some pretty strange things at time. Well...he ended up pouring water on a girls back (hey it was hot lol) and I know he said something to her he shouldn't later as I saw her reaction....my theory is he likes her. I'm trying to focus on the positive though. In the running picture you can see he really isn't all that far behind the rest of the kids when he ran and he ran non stop till 3/4 around the field. I was impressed. He also did quite well with balancing the egg. It's so nice to see him doing well with peers.<br />
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I recently heard about a mom with a wee one diagnosed with PWS. Another homeschooler in fact. I'm revisiting this older post from years ago because I think it is worth posting again!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #a1ccdd; letter-spacing: inherit; margin: inherit; padding: inherit;">Monday, November 8, 2010</span></h2>
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There are positive things with Prader-willi syndrome!!</h3>
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Just a preface...it's been a long time since I've blogged. Lots of changes...lots of stress...and consequently the way my body deals with stress is lots of neck/back/ and headaches. Nothing I can really blog about as I do not want it OUT THERE in blogland but we are plugging along...our family is GOOD. God is just redirecting us where he wants us to go. God is good! :)<br />
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There have been many tv shows dealing with PWS...and one that aired just last week. I haven't seen any as we do not watch tv/cable but a friend is going to send me a dvd of it. From what I have read of PWS mom comments on shows such as this they show EXTREME cases...I guess that brings awareness but I wish they would air positive things too. (Maybe they do?? ) I hate to see new parents of pws children get that shock. There are positives. I hope people reading my blog...or people that know my son see that. My son is so much more than the EATING OBSESSION part. He is is a riot...not always appropriate but he makes people laugh. Kindof in a Jim Carrey sortof way (think MASK). He genuinely cares about people. If I know a friend/relative is sick sometimes I avoid telling him as he will obsess over it...worry about them. Here is an example even though it was a stranger.<br />
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With some exceptions I have given up on my son NOT talking to everyone we come in contact with ( to have DEEP conversations with). I let him...if things become bordering on rude I intervene. ;) Last week we went to Walmart..we rarily go to Walmart but he knows most of the cashiers. Let me describe the customer in front of us- 60ish,well to do, her cart looked like she was preparing for a dinner party of some sort. She was very snooty IMHO to the cashier who was the same age...you could tell she thought she was better than this lady that worked at Walmart. She leaves...enter my sons conversation. This lady he remembered had cats...he asked her about them. Then he noticed the back of her neck was bandaged. He asked her what happened. She went into graphic (too much ahahhaha) detail about some sort of growth she had (I'm sparing you the graphic details) that had to be removed...and she said she was in a lot of pain. What was my sons reaction? He said "I WILL PRAY FOR YOU" . Now these are not just words for my son...if he says he will pray for someone he deeply means it. As a friend recently told me..he has a heart of pure gold.<br />
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With that I must say goodnight. Oh but just incase a dear local friend/blogger is reading this...we are praying for you with your surgery. I didn't tell A~man the specifics but he is too! I'm making you a sprize too for your birthday!! Z is helping! Hugs to you K!!!</div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-6446288051735676712014-05-11T07:38:00.000-07:002014-05-11T07:38:01.223-07:00Time4Learning Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've done a lot of curriculum reviews in my blog over the years but haven't done a single one for the main curriculum we have been using since beginning to homeschool 8 years ago. Weird. Yes, I also work for the same place but the fact I was using the curriculum BEFORE working for <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/curriculum/faq.html">Time4Learning </a>should say a lot!<br />
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" 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<b>Time4Learning is an online curriculum that includes-</b><br />
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A <b>language arts curriculum</b> with a strong literacy foundation which I LOVE. For the preschool to eighth grade curriculum it has phonics, grammar, reading comprehension, spelling, vocabulary, writing skills and more.<br />
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A <b>math curriculum</b> for preschool to eighth grade that has multimedia lessons, interactive activities, plus worksheets to teach basic arithmetic, number sense and operations, measurement, geometry, pre-algebra and more!<br />
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<b>Both language arts and math correlates to state standards.</b></div>
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They also offer <b>social studies</b> lessons to students at a 2nd through 7th grade level and <b>science</b> at the 1st through 8th grade level. Elementary science is grouped from kindergarten to 5th grade by each individual grade level. Middle school science is grouped from 6th through 8th grade level. It includes Earth/Space Science, Life Science, and Physical Science. They also add in Nature of Science as an added supplement to the middle school science courses.</div>
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<i>Social studies and science are added as a bonus and may need supplemented to satisfy each state's requirements. </i></div>
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<img height="231" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQpbWOtWxJNVmDDG6MfGqAYFHfpdeH6HiFMvW9npcer8JSx2SCA" width="320" /></div>
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<i>How have we used Time4Learning in our home?</i> My son (14) who has Prader-Willi Syndrome, autism, and ADHD, is a visual learner and the animations that some of the curriculum contains really hold his attention. I have heard some criticism on the humor used in the programs but....hahaha....THAT was definitely not an issue for us and further helped to hold A~man's attention.He used it for Pre-school to partway through 3rd grade level. No, he did not go through each level in one year but that is what makes it great! A child can progress through it at their own pace and in our house we do not pay a whole lot of attention to "grade levels" anyway. I want my children to progress at their own rate. We haven't used it as much for A~man the last couple of years as in the upper levels it requires more reading and although he does read at a 2nd/3rd grade level he reads slow...and a lot is lost when it is a long passage. There are ways to make some of the curriculum be read to the student but I didn't have a lot of luck with it....but that is most likely user error and not the program itself. So the last two years I have been totally focused on getting his reading skills to <i>his </i>highest potential and also working heavily on basic math skills via other ways. Next year I plan on him jumping back in where he left off.<br />
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<i>What about Z~girl? </i>She has used it for Kindergarten through this year. She is roughly finishing the year somewhere between 6th and 7th grade. I cannot say enough about how helpful it has been in her becoming an independent learner. Yes, mama brag coming up....She gets up every week day (and sometimes on Saturday) at 6:45 AM <i>(who's child is this?) </i>to do her online schoolwork before *ahem* the rest of us get up. She gets her work done before 9 AM. This allows her the rest of the day to unschool and she is the queen of delight directed homeschooling. If frees up her day to read for hours, take care of and play with her pets, and learn about whatever she is currently interested in. It also allows a lot of freedom for all of our many extra-curricular activities.<br />
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<img height="228" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTF-rwVgH6g9TosGIdJTd92MF4-TKb5uht0ki-ADpqEIqD6hboi" width="400" /></div>
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She uses all but the math and especially loves the social studies and science lessons. (me too!) I am able to look through what she does and how she scores on the tests online but periodically I do sit down with her to observe how she is doing also. So many of the social studies and science lessons have sparked an interest in her to explore a subject more deeply by looking for books at the library on the subject.<br />
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We are Christians that homeschool but not all of the curriculum is strictly faith based. Time4Learning is one such example. There are a handful of things in the curriculum that we do not agree with as parents/educators but instead of sheltering Z~girl from it I have chosen to have it be a way of discussion. She will go to college one day and I think it makes more sense for her to hear about other theories early on....along with the way we believe. It truly just makes more sense for her to get to a college level science class and not be surprised by a different teaching idea.<br />
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Time4Learning also makes <a href="https://www.time4learning.com/scope-sequence/index.shtml">lesson plans</a> super easy and offers tools and tips on planning out your school year. I do not have a lot of experience with this particular aspect as I have found if I plan out every day of the "school year" something happens. For us letting them go at their own pace works best but I do like the option of planning out the year and can see definitely using it when Z reaches high school level and is doing a <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool/curriculum/high_school_world_history.html">world history high school course</a>.<br />
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" 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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: left;">Oh speaking of which I forgot to mention that just this last year Time4Learning added </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: left;">HIGH SCHOOL</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: left;">! I do not have any experience with that yet but very happy to see that they added it. </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; text-align: left;"><i><b>What is the cost?</b></i></span></div>
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<b>Sometimes they have specials but generally these are the prices as follows-</b></div>
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PreK-8th grade- monthly membership cost is $19.95 for the first student and $14.95 for each additional student</div>
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High School- monthly membership is $30 per student which includes 4 courses. Additional courses can be purchased for an extra $5 a month per course chosen. Having one student does allow you to receive the discounted rate of $14.95 for a child in lower grades but there is no discounted rate for high school students. </div>
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I definitely recommend Time4Learning for a homeschool curriculum for typical children and those with special needs. It also would be a great way for students in public school to do "summer school" online! </div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-71507031786081152792014-05-01T20:11:00.000-07:002014-05-01T20:11:22.281-07:00Adventure Weekend!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On Tuesday night I received a call from one of my nephews asking if I would photograph his sister's wedding if he bought me a plane ticket. (the scheduled photographer had fallen through) I do not do well with HUGE spontaneous changes in plans but how could I say no? Six months ago I had hoped we all could attend but four plane tickets was not doable and either was driving 3,000 miles....one way. Still I REALLY wanted to go to her wedding!<img height="515" src="https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash2/t31.0-8/471213_326110104107429_1469938664_o.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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I've been praying for a long time that this sweet niece would find someone.This is a picture of three of my nieces and one of my nephews. The one getting married is in the girl in the dress at the bottom. The older girl is my oldest niece who is just one year younger than I am. I'm the youngest of 5 and grew up with many of my nieces and nephews. This sweet niece S, was a preschooler when I was a teen and I distinctly remember her terrorizing my bedroom with a container of Vaseline and talking non stop with the constant" why " questions.<br />
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I also distinctly remember teaching her how to tie her shoes when she was staying at our house. I was/am immensely blessed with MANY nieces/nephews (and many greats too now!) So I am very much looking forward to seeing them even though I so wish the rest of my gang was coming too. I do not remember the last time I have gone anywhere for more than one night without the rest of my family coming along.<br />
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Still...I am pretty stressed about taking the pictures even though I was so flattered that my nephew thought enough of my photography skills to ask me AND pay for most of the ticket. I am all OCD right now about making sure I bring everything I need and I'm praying that the weather cooperates as I do so much better with natural light. <br />
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I'm also a bit out of sorts because two of my family members I have quite a bit of issues with. (or rather they have issues with ME) Needless to say if a family member is reading this they are not who I'm referring too. I love all my family with all my heart but these two I just do not feel like I measure up to what they expect of me...and they can be extremely hurtful to me and my sweet family. Still...I know that it is no coincidence that I am able to go on this trip and God will get me through whatever is thrown at me. ;)<br />
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Weeks like this one, and the couple before this one, make me realize WHY we home school year round and why using<a href="http://www.time4learning.com/learning-software.shtml"> kids learning software</a> and online curriculum works so well for us for our family. It leaves us more flexible for the occasional spontaneity.<br />
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-47598381837502241982014-04-27T08:49:00.000-07:002014-04-27T08:49:29.113-07:00Look at the new peeps in our house!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We got the call Thursday that our new peeps had arrived at the post office. Chickens in the mail? Yep, we received the cutest fuzzy chicks from mypetchicken.com that Z~girl had ordered and paid for with her own money months ago. Let me say...she has been counting the days since she ordered them! It was overnight delivery and when we opened the box at the post office to check out the cheeping box I think it was the first time the peeps had really "seen" each other. They promptly began pecking each other. I remember when we got our other chickens last year Z and I being mortified that one of the chicks kept pecking all the other chicks in the eye. I guess if something moves chicks will peck at it!</div>
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I must add that normally you are not supposed to handle newborn chicks a lot and if you do you need to wash your hands well before and after. They also have to have some antibiotic drops in their water for the first little bit to make sure that they do not have any diseases. I took the opportunity to do some individual photos though as Z transferred them to their temporary "crib". Words cannot describe how cute they are and so fun to watch!</div>
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It seems like when the weather gets nice we automatically go into un-school mode...which is evidenced by our week of chicks and hiking. </div>
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Sports are also back into the schedule of events which A~man loves for the social aspect and Z~girl loves for the sport itself. She is very competitive to say the least. </div>
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A~man didn't get a whole lot of sit down work done this week. Not because of him but because of how the week went. Z~girl has a very driven personality and likes to get her school work done early. She has us wake her up at 6:50 am every morning so she can do her school work. (I can barely pry my eyes open at that time!) She did her school work every day except the day she did her volunteer work. (which I totally count as "school") </div>
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I have to do a brag as the last year or so my duo do not get along very well most days...sadly. They used to be the best of friends but I am sure with the cognitive difference between them growing they are at completely different levels/interests. </div>
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Later in the week I had been doing my online work, we ate lunch and I was about to help A~man do his school work including his <a href="http://www.spellingcity.com/whichword-definitions.html">vocabulary game</a> that I had scheduled. Z said "How about I help him with his school work and you go take a nap?" I'm serious here folks, she said that. After I was able to get the stunned look off my face I decided -YES I am going to go take a nap!</div>
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They were just finishing up his school work when I got up from nap. They were getting along. Afterwards, she decided to take him outside (I haven't let him be outside without us alone since he ran away).They were out there for at least an hour watching the chickens and talking. (I was looking outside periodically) I so wish I would have taken a picture of that but instead I bottled up that wonderful memory in my head to remember on the days that aren't quite as wonderful between the two. Later, Z even said how much fun she had with A~man...the positive reinforcement from her went a long way for him. </div>
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I am so completely blessed!</div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7922908882104886687.post-24951461018378695462014-04-21T09:24:00.000-07:002014-04-21T12:19:16.098-07:00Our Spring Break Do Over<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last week we decided to try having another spring break. Well it started out with Lucy the chicken dying in Z~girls arms. The awfulness of that is described over in my<a href="http://www.techdadz.com/my-daughters-heart-is-breaking/"> hubby's blog</a> so I won't rehash it here. Thankfully, we will be getting 7 more chicks in the mail to add to our brood this week, so that will be fun! We decided to order through the mail so that we were able to get a specific selection of breeds. It is quite a mix!</div>
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When I planned last week out I looked at the weather and although it was supposed to have a couple rainy days, the weekend was going to be clear and sunny. After the last 5 months that we have had you would think I would have learned that the weather can change and WILL change. We had planned on getting a cabin at our favorite camping spot and spending Saturday night and then going to the Easter service at the campground. It poured and thankfully we stayed home. We spent Sunday dying eggs and cooking dinner for the grandparents when they came over that night. All in all it was a very nice day despite the change of plans. So now I'm looking at the weather again...trying to figure out the warmest day to go camping.</div>
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Oh,one very good thing that happened last week was that we were able to observe the birth of two baby goats at the place where Z~girl volunteers. She (and we) have wanted to see it for a couple of years. Hubby and I have both seen animals being born but the kids hadn't and it was beyond words AWESOME! The goat, Addie, did start to have some complications so they called a vet to come help deliver but it was so neat to watch! Surely I can count that day as a "homeschool day" right? </div>
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Today I have designated teacher work day. We pretty much homeschool year around but we do our annual testing in June and then take off July until the second week of August. (we have 3 birthdays within that time) Well, I should say Z~girl has that time off but we normally keep up with some things with A~man as he has a harder time entertaining himself and then ends up getting in trouble. LOL I'll probably do a unit study for him during that time. So I need to plan out the next 2+ months before that. Z~girl is about to try out a writing class through Time4Writing before the end of the school year and I would also like to look at some <a href="http://www.science4us.com/homeschool-science-reviews/">homeschool science reviews</a> to determine what we may need for next year. I would appreciate any suggestions for science! </div>
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Well, I am off to make another cup of coffee, warm up some yummy Easter leftovers, and get started with my lesson plans. It is a beautiful day so I am hoping for a LONG walk in the sun. </div>
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Hills N Valleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574211660911750013noreply@blogger.com1