A Presidential Day

A couple of years ago I gave the boys a writing assignment. They were to write President Bush and just tell him about themselves. I told them that he would not personally read them, but he probably had a system that in return for a letter to him, they would get a letter from him.

It worked. They got nice letters and pictures from the President. And even a Christmas card that same year!

David decided in the summer to write a letter to President Bush. I guess he was just in a letter writing mood that day. The letter was good and so I mailed it.

(Not all letters are postage stamp worthy. Some letters have bad penmanship, or incorrect spelling and I won't send letters like that.)

Yesterday, David got this picture from President Bush. It has David's name on it, he thinks that is so cool. The letter was addressed to Master David Beavers. Thankfully, he hasn't expected us to refer to him as Master. The time could come though!

As a homeschool mom, its always good to know that those extra assignments we give our children really count! They make a difference in the child's life and sometimes make a memory you can frame!

Let me add that the boys did send letters to President Obama. He responded to one of them with a letter that was not on a grade schooler's level of understanding, or even caring. The boys were not thrilled with the response, so no more letters have been written to him. I'll have them write letters to him again as a writing assignment to see if they get a different response, but we'll do that later in the year.

School is in Session

Yesterday was our first day of school for 2010-2011.

The first day of 7th grade for Samuel. 4th grade for David and Daniel and 1st grade for Anna.

It's hard to believe that I started homeschooling when Anna was 4 months old, and now she is a 1st grader! Wow, time does fly right by!

So, we have two days of school under our belts and so far so good. We have a schedule we are going by that is really helping things go smoothly. I'm sure I will make some changes to it, but for the first two days of school it has seemed to work pretty good.

Tomorrow we have to make a trip to the dentist office. I'm not at all happy that I scheduled an appointment during the first week of school, but at least we can get it over with for the next six months! The kids can take their books with them and do the work on the way.

Hope your first few days of school are going well!

School is Out!!

Yes! School is out!

Well, I guess I should just say third grade is out.

Kindergarten and sixth grade are still rocking on. Anna loves to do worksheets. Who am I to disappoint her? She will continue to do school probably through June.

Samuel is wanting to begin his 7th grade year as soon as possible. And possible will probably be when we return from Disney. I'm all for it, if he is!

I plan on just going with the flow with him. If he wants to work on school then I will let him. If he wants to take the summer off that is fine too. I don't plan on devoting a lot of time to school this summer.

We all know the only thing I plan on devoting a lot of time to this summer is the pool! Amen!

So, as I am making the last minute plans and packing for WDW, I am also cleaning out the third grade books out of the school room. I can't believe Daniel and David are going to be fourth graders. Where has the time gone?

And Anna is out of kindergarten? I never have to teach kindergarten again? Thank heavens for that!!!

Are you glad school is out too? Are you breathing in the summer air with expectation and excitement? Or are you just glad you don't have to worry about school ever again? Either way, Congrats on a successful year!

Another dose of randomness

Anna got her ears pierced Saturday while we were visiting Dad and Connie. We had been talking about it for over a year. She had a couple of goals to meet and then she could get her ears pierced if she wanted. She met the goals and she announced while we were at the mall that she wanted to do it. I don't know who was more excited her or Stephen! Isn't that funny? He let her pick the earrings she wanted (cost was not to be considered) and she sat up in the chair hugged a bear they gave her to hold on to, held her breath and cried a few tears. She had quite the audience, her brothers, me, Dad, Connie and Stephen were all there. It was a memory. And the girls that pierced her ears. Their names were Julie and Anna. How neat is that??!!

Today on facebook women and girls are posting one word on their status's. Just a color. I didn't get it at first. As the day went on I caught on that it was their bra color. Really?? I googled it to find out what was going on. It turns out it is for breast cancer awareness. No money is being raised, it is just for awareness. Call me a prude (some do), but I just thing that is a little TMI. I have men that are facebook friends, preachers, old youth ministers, my husbands friends. I really don't want them to know what color my bra is. Posting it as my status would just get them to thinking about other women, their bras, and their breasts. Is that really what we should be promoting? I've not had breast cancer. I have friends that are fighting it right this very minute though. I don't mean any offense to you. Really I don't. I just don't know that posting the color of your bra on facebook is the best way to get the message across. We have enough trouble in this world with men and them taking advantage of women of all ages, we shouldn't give them free information and let their minds wander.

Ok! Enough of that!

I made the pioneer woman's mashed potatoes tonight. They're still in the oven, but I'll let you know how they turn out. With 2 sticks of butter, cream cheese and half and half, I don't know that we will notice the potatoes or not!

I got my hair done today. Hows that for random???

I miss Henry. I need to smell him and kiss his neck (but only if it is clean of formula gunk. Don't you just hate the way it gunks up under the baby's second neck, and you only clean necks 1, 3 and 4??!!).

As I said earlier Anna met a couple of goals we had set for her. I can't tell you the difference in that little girl. She is happy go lucky, fun, silly, and is feeling all of her 5 years. What a precious treasure she is.

And because I have talked about her twice, let me say something about the boys. They made a salt dough map of Egypt today for school. They worked together and made it look so cool. I'm not sure if it is geographically correct, but they worked as a team and sometimes that is more important!!

I hope you stay bundled up tonight if it is cold where you are! We are going to cheer on Bama. It goes against our nature, but cheering for the other team would probably just kill us!

School

This could be long.
I'm just warning you.

I am with my children 24/7. I gripe and complain about it to anyone that will listen.

But when I think about sending them to school, I get an upset stomach and I start to shake!
Although homeschooling is not my idea of fun.

I really like public school. I would be on the PTA if I thought they would let me.
I am beginning to believe that I should homeschool my kids.
I know.
I have been doing this for 5 years now. Well, except for that 1/2 year I put them in school.
You would think I would already be a believer. But I'm not. I'm public-school minded.

I like orderly lines.
I like quiet halls.
I love the smell of a sharpened pencil and the smell of the cafeteria.
I like school teachers.
I secretly want to be a school secretary.

But I also love sleeping late.
I love it that my kids can do their math and language in bed with me.
Or in their pajamas.
I enjoy being able to have their dr appointments in the morning and saying no when they ask if they need an excuse for school.
I love teaching them a new concept, seeing them struggle and then seeing the light come on. They smile at me, and say "I got it Mom!"
I like the flexibility of our schedule.
I like that they can play during the day and not be rushed to do homework, eat, and head out to a ballgame or church or a dr appointment after school.
I really like my friends that homeschool. They aren't weird like I thought they would be.

So, what do I want you to get from all this rambling?
I want you to know that if you send your kids to public school I am glad for you, proud of your decision, and you won't hear a word of opposition from me.

And if you homeschool your children, I am glad for you, proud of your decision, and would really like your help on deciding curriculum for next year, schedules for 4 kids in 3 grades, and some science know-how please!!!

I hope you are having a great week! Our testing is over and I feel a great burden lifted. I am praying for the public school teachers and students this week. I know it is a stressful time.