What is your favorite curriculums and why??

I'm ordering curriculum....

I wanted to see what do you like to use for:

Science,
History,
Spelling,

and ....

Bible??

And why?

What do you like and (not like) about it?

I'm still looking for something I like better than what I've got in these subjects. I know I like workbook formats alot.... And I'm looking for something that is more student independant, and less teacher demanding. Fun, colorful, interesting, and effective is nice too, of course!:)

Thanks much~!! :)

Is "Big Brother" in YOUR Grocery Cart?

Is "Big Brother" in YOUR Grocery Cart?

RFID chips, tiny tracking devices the size of a grain of dust,
can be used to secretly identify you and the things you're carrying-
-right through your clothes, wallet, backpack, or purse.

Have you already taken one home with you?

For information about CASPIAN's (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion & Numbering) opposition to RFID (Radio Frequency ID), see this web site:

Spychips.com

Be informed!!

A Picture Says a Thousand Words...

I say EVERY day is Teacher's Day for US... huh??? ;)

Sewing Smiley

No, I'm not sewing, but I bet Amy is!! I just discovered a million wonderful smileys that show our interests, and I'd tried and tried to send this to Amy, herself, but... it didn't take... so Amy... if you can figure out how to UTILIZE this smiley for your OWN use...... This is for YOU! :) I was thinking of YOU.... ;)

Happy Sewing!!: )

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELISSA!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FRIEND, MELLISSA, TODAY!! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELLISSA!!! ;)

Hmm......

Notice I don't have any pics up lately??? Can you guess why????

Man.... I feel so limited....... so handicapped...

Can you imagine NOT being able to put up YOUR photos???? :(

I know.. I know..... I've gotta remember those poor, poor people that are being tortured in other countries......

What was I thinking, to complain?? I'm sorrrryy...... :(

Photo Editing Software?

I'm off to go find some photo software to buy, because our new pc doesn't have any, nor does my old software work compatably w/ it... :( This pc has some lousy "HP photo essentials" program... and all it does it rotate pics... and it does not even do that RIGHT!! You tell it to go R, and it goes L... and so on... ;( Errr..... :(ANyway... gotta go take care of that... because I can't breathe if I can't do anything w/ my photos..... I feel handicapped! :(

~~~~~~~~~
A few hours later:



agh!!!!!!!!!!! :(
Well so much for my photo editing program.... :(
I instead of going out to buy one, I quickly researched online about it, and wound up buying an unopened version, for much less $. I also installed the trial version, so I can begin my photo editing.....
Ugh!....... :(
I had Adobe Photo Deluxe for the past 10 yrs!! It was wonderful!! Easy to use, yet tons of fancy functions! I could do amazing things on there, just as quick as could be.
And... on Microsoft Photo Manager (of Windows XP), I could speedily view, zoom, crop, and edit simple things easily and quickly, right there. Now we have Windows Vista.... I'm not crazy about it, I don't think.... :(
With Photoshop Elements, I HATE IT!!! It is HORRIBLE!! you have to go from one screen to the next, for every single pic! For every single change! Nothing is simple!! :( I am so frustrated, and disappointed!! I have to stop that shipment/ return it..... :( ugh!!!!! :(.
And if that weren't enough... WHAT AM I going to use, if I can't stand this program?? WHAT else is there??

My Baby Got Us a New PC!!!??? ;)

My Baby Got Us a New PC!!!??? ;)
I can't believe it!! MY husband bought US a new PC!! :)
As some of you already knew, our PC had crashed a while back, and we had to restore it, but it was not fully fuctioning. There were programs and software that were un-usable... ;( (Believe me-- this is just the SHORT version I'm giving you...;)
He said we couldn't afford one. I asked him if we could at least LOOK at them, and check out the prices of PC's now adays.... So he did...
He called me while on his errands yesterday, and told me "Hey Babe, I got you a stupid computer."
I said " You did? I'd really rather have a smart one!:)"
And he said he ALSO..... got an external drive for all my photos and stuff too......
Woooo hooo!! :) I can't believe MY husband.... who is soooo careful w/ money, just went out and got a new PC out of the blue!!! Wow!! :) Thank you God!! :) Sometimes, that man still does amaze me and surprise me!!! :)
So... officially today, we've been busy this very day setting up our new pc. :)

File Those Directions!: )

What happens to all those directions you've mapped out, written down, printed out-- to get to your friends' houses and such??

Do they get lost?

Where are you suppose to PUT such things?

That's what I used to think.

And I'd "lose" them.....

But as of, over a year ago, I began tucking all these directions into a file called "Directions to Friends' Homes". So whether it be a small, "un-official", post-it note, or 2 pieces of printed out paper, it goes in there.

Maybe now that I've got that far, one day, or just even as I go along, I'll be sure that any NEW directions made out, will be on a standard size paper, for even better filing, AND.... in alphabetical order....
but for now...
it's just a dis-orderly compilation,
in an orderly file folder,
in an orderly file drawer..... :)

And.... It WORKS! ;)

-Thought you might like this! ;) Let me know! :)

A New Trick I've Found- To Get It done! ;)

Eureka!


I just wanted to share w/ you, in case it benefits one of you....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here I was having the toughest time getting my 7 yr. old son Cody to finish his chores, or his school work in a reasonable amount of time (he's got "distraction-itis"/ aka: ADHA) and w/ out getting distracted...

And..... so finally, I started using timers for every thing. (Well, not quite every thing... but when necessary; for those of you who may be technical.) ;)

Now... he has 2 min. to do each page... or 5, depending on what it is... or 5 min. to finish his chores... or whatever....

..and he does it! ...

and he loves it!! :)

He feels so accomplished!!

And he'll give himself a star... :)


He got his school work done way early THIS week!! Yay!! :)

What a winner of an idea!! What a relief!! Yay! :)


The timer kept him focused on the task at hand.

Therefore, it distracted him from getting distracted!! :)


Get THAT!! :) .... WOW!! :)

He is so much happier now... and so is Mama.... :)

So simple....

Eureka! :)

~~~~~~~~~

By the way, you may be wondering about the ADHD thing....

Although we haven't officially had Cody tested, we've researched it, years ago, and he shows all the signs.

However, we don't believe in "labeling", so we don't usually go around calling him "ADHD" or as having a "dis-order". Nor do we believe that of so many other "disorders". It's not right to call someone as "dis-ordered" or "abnormal". God has created each person wonderfully UNIQUE, and WITH a special purpose for that uniqueness.

(I have more opinions on this, but more on this another time.....)

We don't want him to feel labeled, handicapped, or to use this as some kind of excuse for any thing at all......

In fact, ADHD has several positive attributes that we enjoy, such as:

Being highly passionate, loving, extra affectionate, compassionate, very intelligent,
sensitive & intense (can be a good/ not so good thing:)....


This is also why some of you may have found that Cody is so "hands on" whether it means he's been hanging on other kids, hugging them aggressively, or such....

Why he "freaks out" when there's LOUDNESS, or chaos going on....

Why he's so sensitive...

BUT>>>>> This is not to excuse him, and he does NOT get away w/ such things. It's dealt w/ just as it should be. ;)

ADHD people also can be hyper-FOCUSED. :) .... IF it's interesting enough, and uses enough of their senses. :)


Mozart, Beethoven, and Einstein, among others, have thought to be ADHD....