Living it.....Loving it.....

I know I have several homeschooling families reading my blog, and so if you are one of them, this post is probably not very insightful....however, I also have friends and family reading who are very curious to how we spend our time, why handsome hubby and myself feel like *we* can give our children a good education, why we aren't worried about socialization, and don't our kids want to go to public school????
The above pic is of Sweet Son volunteering at our local public school (5/6 center). He is helping out at the Health camp. He worked with several kids, enjoyed the Senior football players helping out and just adored the "drunk glasses". And guess what??? He carried on intelligent conversation with the Senior guys, the coach, the teachers, adult visitors, and the children. Hmmm...Socialization was the *big scare* when we first embarked on the endeavor, I'm not very concerned now. From Webster's Online Dictionary: Socialization: To make Social, to fit or train for a social environment.
Handsome Hubby and myself are pleased that our children socialize with all different age groups, can carry on a conversation, without prodding, with a three year old, up to a 100 year old.





Dear Daughter also volunteering at the Health Fair (thanks Mrs. Libby). Helping the kids build a healthy snack.
Here Julia is working on a budgeting assignment. I taught a budgeting class at our local community action. The kids helped out a lot. Handsome Hubby and I figure that if we give the children lots of different learning opportunities, in many different environments, with many different people (ages and otherwise)...they will be well rounded and prepared. Don't know about the future, but I am proud of them!
Here Sweet Son and Dear Daughter deliver food with the Feed America Back Pack program to our local schools. Mrs. Libby took her time to teach the kids about the hungry children in our small county and what they can do to help. Alex is also working on a paper for his geography class concerning World Hunger. It was surprising to the kids (and me) how many people were in need of food in our area.
Kiddos unloading boxes for a couple of different food programs for our hometown.
Julia learning her CPR. Alex has been certified since last year (recently recerted). Both kids enjoy the Red Cross and are trained in first aid, CPR, and have a babysitter's certification.

Sweet Son and Dear Daughter in their Red Cross Gear working the Edmonson County Chamber Breakfast. They love working in our county (me, too!).

And, No, neither Alex or Julia, to this point, want to go to public or private school.....both have expressed their desire, adamantly, to homeschool......I don't know what the future holds, but for now, this is our life.
Our days go something like this:
Start at7:30ish. Bible reading, Reading aloud....Alex goes to work on his online classes, lots of research, posting to forums, and papers to write. I work with Julia on her math and grammar.
Both kids read literature selections. Spelling, critical thinking. History, Science.....Typing instruction. Visits to national geographic websites....Fox News, CNN, Washington Post for current events. Some days we work on 4-H projects, usually at least 3 days out of the week we do an outside activity, Red Cross, 4-H, Community Service, Library activities...Alex is on the WKU Forensics (speech/debate) Team, and we also try to see our family.
Other than that, we learn as much as we can about life. I make sure both of my kids know how to shop, pay for their items, what to do in an emergency if we are out, how to use the Library system for anything w/out having to ask for help, How much electric costs, where to pay for it, how to fill up the car with gas and pay, checking oil, being kind, doing laundry, where our trash goes, what accrued interest is, how we borrow money...yada, yada...you get the picture.....
Well, that's about it....
oh and we show our children LOVE.....between Handsome hubby and myself....from us to them....and depend on our Heavenly Father.....Beth

Family Life....

I'm gonna get on my soap box here......if you're not conservative or family oriented now's the time to click the little red X on the top right of your screen. :-)

The lack of accountability is destroying the family unit...it makes me so sad. It's slowing deteriorating the stability our children are due. It's undermining the husband/wife relationship, and totally blasting away at our relationships with God. It seems our society is always looking for someone to lay the blame on. From Washington right down to our living rooms, it's a daily occurrence.
Divorce seems to be the "in" right now. It has effected many of my family and friends, but thank God not my home. I am not above any of these people, nor is my husband. It's a daily prayer for me and Handsome Hubby, to keep us together. I'm not at all certain of all the going ons in a failing marriage, but lack of accountability kinda jumps out. I am in the opinion of men having the head of the household status. It's manly, nice for the wife, comforting to the children, AND it's biblical. There is very little that Handsome Hubby and myself disagree on, but, he has the final say in the event that we can't get it together. Marriage is strengthening, it's God's plan for man and woman (don't even get me started on Homosexuality). I firmly believe the lack of accountability that leads to many destroyed families, thus the infidelity, arguments, power battles, etc. It's so sad, it makes me want to stand up and fight for the family unit, for our children. For them not to make Divorce the norm in their lives.

Handsome Hubby and myself have been married for almost fifteen years. A far cry from my parents 37 and my granparent's 57. But I love married life, I enjoy married life and make an effort to make Handsome Hubby happy and content, I don't down him, say he gets on my nerves, ask him to get out of the house, etc. Why? Because I love him, and I wouldn't want him to say those things to me (which he doesn't). I once read a book that suggested, no matter how miserable you are, spend a few days doing all you can to make your spouse happy. I like that suggestion.
Handsome Hubby and myself to little things for each other...like when I'm in town, I might drop by and bring Jarrod ice cream and a kiss. I might surprise him and meet him at the office for lunch, leave him love notes, make his favorite dinner, give spontaneous hugs, etc. It makes him smile and feel loved.
Handsome Hubby brings me flowers, rubs my feet, treats me to lotions, grills me yummy chicken, fixes broken things in the house, calls to see how I am, gives me hugs and kisses, etc. It makes me smile and feel loved.
Ultimately, we are responsible for our own actions, good, bad, or somewhere in between....it's our choice and we make it.
Children are the ultimate benefactors of accountable parents who make an effort in their marriage. They feel comfortable in it, there's balance in a home that has Mother and Father under one roof, loving each other.
We had our nephew with us today in the car after church, when we pulled in our carport, Handsome Hubby and myself shared a long kiss. Nephew says, YUCK! GROSS!
Sweet Son says, "aw, they do that all the time, they just smooch and smooch"
LOL
Let your children know how much you love each other and how much you love them....it's valuable!

Responsibility and Accountability go hand in hand and strengthens the family. Love your spouse, love your children, and above all Love and Serve God....

Beth

A TALE FROM THE CRYPT OF A STRESSED WOMAN...

If you homeschool or are a stay at home mom, you know the stress that can encompass one's body from every imaginable angle concerning your kiddos all day long. Everyone needs a break sometime. It's nice to have just 15 minutes to relax. I'm not kicking that at all. But below is a tale from one of my *stressed* days. I look back at this day often and laugh. This is a reminder that, at this point, my life is not about me, what I want, think I need, or want to do. God has loaned me a couple of pretty neat kiddos for a time.

....It had been *one of those days* and I had errands to run, my sweet mother took pity on me and told me to bring the kiddos to her after our school day and run my errands alone, get some down time. I readily agreed, dropped my kiddos off, telling myself this was *just what I needed* (snort). My body, so it seems, is just not accustomed to being alone in town, it does not adjust well, and functions as though my Sweet son and Dear Daughter are with me
. First, I spilled my purse in the mall...*everything* in my purse went flying. I usually have the kids to laugh with me, no kids this time, but of course the laughing came anyway....I laughed and giggled and even snorted when I tried to hold it in as I stumbled around, mumbling,
" excuse me", as I picked up my belongings (some of which I almost ignored out of embarrassment.)
Next stop, something to eat, at which point, (since I had no kids to clean up after, I just *had* to make a mess, you know, it wouldn't be the same), I squirted taco sauce all down the front of my sweater. Nice, big, orangish - brown spot running right down the middle. Most people give a smile of pity at a mother with stained clothes when she is toting her children, not so without.

My dash into the library ended with a bag ripping in the parking lot and the library books scattering. Some went under the car, so I had to get down on my knees and fish books out from under it. Real lady like in my skirt and stained top.

Last stop of the day was Walmart (I shouldn't have even tried going at this point). I done mega grocery shopping and had two loaded down carts to haul to my car, on a Friday evening at about 8:30. It was crowded. of course. I get out the front doors to the cross walk and the bag of potatoes on the bottom decides to get stuck on a wheel. I hold up traffic as I try to get the potatoes unstuck with my foot while holding the other cart. Oh, it comes unstuck, it busts and potatoes roll everywhere (what can I say, I have a knack for spilled items). I'm grinning a mile wide by now, because it's just so funny (laughter is my stress relief, obviously), I momentarily lose my train of thought and let go of cart 2 while I try to pick up, it rolls away, at which time an elderly man catches it for me, I thank him with potatoes in my arms, between my laughter and honking horns. He kinda nods and edges away from me. I feel home free now as I finally get to my car. I have the trunk up and the doors open as I toss in. Cart again rolls away, this time a young man yells at his window for me to catch the cart. I catch it, pull it back, go to toss in the toilet paper at which time my finger nail punctures the cellophane. Out comes a roll of Scott Tissue onto the ground, off it rolls, and off I go chasing the toilet paper down the isle. I grab it and it comes undone, the harder I pull, the more I laugh, the more paper that comes off. I finally capture it, ignore the stares, jump in my car with tears rolling down my face from the laughter fit I'm having. I call Handsome Hubby and try to explain what happened, he's very confused why I am laughing, as he would have been MAD. (guys are just different that way, apparently). What a hoot.
As I drove to Mom's I decided that I kinda liked having my kids there with me to laugh, giggle, and share with....that they are a big help when they carry my books, help me shop and push the cart for me. My children are a pleasure. I look back on this day and reflect when I feel like I need a "break". While a breather is good now and then, I realize these days will pass all too quickly and I'll wish for the times that there is no break in conversation during drives, long for interrupted phone calls, wish for math and algebra issues. I'll want to lay on the trampoline seeing shapes in the clouds, yearn for the click, click, click as my vacuum picks up legos hidden just under the edge of the couch. I'll want the front glass door to be full of smudges, the bath tub to have grime left in the bottom, the kitchen cd player to be blaring Hank the Cow Dog.
So, for now, even when I'm stressed, feel the lack of adult conversation....when I'm sure that I'll never have a moment's peace.....I'll consider it good, wonderful, blessed, and an awesome opportunity to have my children living, learning, and loving at home, with me.

Growing Kids........

Growing kids.....hmmm. Of course what I mean is raising children. Something I'm certainly not finished doing, but am somewhat passed "just started". I'm going to take this from a homeschool view, but this topic applies to so many others.....
When we first started to homeschool, we got *all sorts* of comments. One of the most interesting, frustrating, and at the time discouraging comments ever made to me was when Sweet Son was 4. We had just "announced" (to the utter shock and horror of many) our decision to homeschool. We were at a get- together, where some kid was being mean to Sweet Son (granted it wasn't unusual for this kid to be mean, to Sweet Son, or any other child). Sweet Son came to sit beside me and said, "I'm not going back upstairs, they are being really mean." At which time he picked up a book and started looking at it. Overhearing this, Well-meaning woman replied with a roll of her eyes, that the Sweet Son "didn't get out much, was homeschooled and not used to being around other children and just didn't know how to act." ARGH! He was 4! Not even the age to be "in school" and already those around us were passing judgement. I went home **fuming**. This person was *assuming* she knew our day to day outings.....the little culprit in this scenario wasn't "in school" yet either, and certainly didn't "get out" as much as Sweet Son, who at 4, went to play groups, story time, and other group activities. Thus began the long road of hearing how our children: weren't going to be civilized or socialized, would turn out "backward", wouldn't get a good education, wouldn't be as "well-rounded", would miss out on so many things, and was simply doomed. And who were we to "shelter" our children from the "truth" and the "real world". They would have to face it someday, at which point they would "go wild and rebel". and on and on. I would get the "just wait until he/ she is 5, 6, 7, 8, etc. Where ever we were, it wasn't as bad as the next year was going to be when my homeschooled children would morph into some horrible monster. LOL

I stayed a bundle of nerves the first two years, fully expecting some piano to drop on my head (thus began(my still yearly) regular trips to have both my children tested. This assuaged my fears of them lagging educationally and I had a paper, drat it all, to show they were up to par!).
After that couple of years (and many, many hours on my knees) my anxiety about certain aspects of homeschooling began to dissipate. I still felt misunderstood...no, I wasn't out to "get" the public school system, didn't think my children would grow up trouble free and perfect, etc. etc. But I did begin to feel a little more confident when Sweet Son well exceeded my expect taions academically and as a person. Following along after him was Dear Daughter. We had challenges (and still do daily)....but I was beginning to find my feet and have more faith in my prayers.
I came to the conclusion that the general population had more common sense raising GARDENS than they did raising CHILDREN.

When we go to the green house in the spring a pick a tender plant, we cultivate it, shelter it, train it and pamper it. We don't wait until some scorching day and take the tender plant and thrust it into the burning sun and say, "well, you'll have to face it someday, get used to it!" We gradually acclimate the plant to the new environment. Of course, you might try thrusting your new plant out at first, but I guarantee you won't go back and do it again the next year....
Plants that are sheltered, tended, giving the best of living conditions as can be provided, nurtured and cultivated usually thrive better than those who haven't had that kind of care.
Not saying it don't EVER happen the opposite way, but just as a rule.
Children also thrive under such care.

I've pretty much got over my need to justify our decision to homeschool our kiddos. I have no idea how they will "turn out" in the long run. I don't have a 20 year old yet. But I do know, that up until this point the demons I had been warned of haven't been as scary.
There's still some of our family that strongly disagrees with us, and would rather swallow their tongue than give a compliment to our homeschooled children, but that's OK.
I'm proud of how they've developed and progressed.
Sweet son is just now 12, and I am beginning to see a peek of his "person". No, he's not perfect (but neither are his parents LOL) but I like the well rounded young man he is becoming. I'm proud of him. Ditto from Dear Daughter.

So, at this point, Handsome Hubby and I will continue to educate our kids at home, ask for guidance from above, stay humble, walk off of the beaten path, and grow our kids with love, patience, prayer, worship, laughter, and respect .

Everyday Angels

I love my family, I mean, really, I do. They are *great*! You know that old saying, "If you can't say anything nice about someone, don't say anything at all?" Well, I can say so many good things about the wonderful people below there isn't enough room to write it all! Of course, this isn't *all* of the people in my family. But this is my immediate family and those I am closest to.....so here goes.....the truth, like it is, and some praise for my every-day angels.....


Ok, I know that, by now, most of you get the picture that I am hopelessly in love with Handsome Hubby....but it doesn't matter to me how many times I say it, it's new every time the words cross my lips.....He's wonderful. Hardworking. Honest. Has Integrity. He kills spiders for me. He gives me foot massages (remember previous post?). He buys me Lemonade at Chic Fila. He fixes things I break (that's his other full time job). He puts up with my cats. He loves my parents and are good to them. He's the father of my children, a soul mate, my better half. He's a praying man and takes his family seriously...I LOVE him!



My first, (born living) Child.....one of the most kind hearted, souls I know. Sweet Son takes to the cake.....figuratively speaking. (and sometimes literally, he shares my love of sweets). Homeschooled for over 8 years, Saved by HIS Grace for 2 years, and tramping on my heart for a little over 12 years. Kind, an advocate for the underdog, the injured, the overlooked. Strong in his beliefs...unbelievably MALE, and sometimes completely baffling! Love him, and he loves me, granted a lot of the times he tells me how great I am when I am cooking (LOL).




Dear Daughter, cute as a button, girly-girl, animal loving, strong willed, independent, determined she-warrior. Loves to organized, straighten and clean. Finds lost items often (hired her last week to "find" my engagement ring that I flung across the bathroom, she found it embedded in a towel in the back of the closet, took her all of 15 minutes, after which, she accepts her reward of $5)
Tenderhearted, self concious, little lady, daddy's girl, (I'm seeing a repeat of my young self), loves to cook, care for our neighbors, adores babies, Loves her Granny and Pappaw (see pics of G and P below). Thinks her Aunt Char. is Great (how right she is), loves her uncle Ch., and likes to spend time with her cousins. I love Dear Daughter, she's fun to be with and I'm so glad she's my girl!
Here's a pic of Handsome Hubby with my Mother. My Mom is super. She's a people person who most love. (I am in the opinion if you don't love her, it's because of jealousy, LOL) She and my Dad are high school sweet hearts. They are parents at the premium. Mom was great when I was young, and has become a close friend in the present years. I call her often asking for advice, to chit chat, to complain, to whine, and to get encouragement. I was one of those kids who was never ashamed of my parents...I loved Mom to be with me, I still like it. Mom is full of smiles, and never asks personal questions, neither does she try to "get into our business". She's a grand-kid loving, cookie baking, hard praying, husband loving kind of mom. She loves me and my brother unconditionally. (even when both of us has done things she didn't like/didn't agree with...she never *shunned* us) What a MOM! BTW, my mom loves Handsome Hubby dearly (who wouldn't).....as well as Super Sister in Law. Handsome Hubby loves and cares for my parents which makes me love him more.




ah...My Daddy....a quite spirited man (just don't get him angry), a super conservative, peanut butter loving guy whom I love immensely! Loves his grandkids, calls and checks on us all most days. This is the guy who bought me candy at the country store, sliced my apples when I lost my front teeth, made me try for my driver's license, took on the Board of Education when I was harassed for wearing dresses, laughed when I wanted Jarrod to come to our house the first time, toted my kids on his shoulders and takes them to the feed mill, Dairy Queen, and anywhere else he might be going. He's the man that comes by on Sunday morning to have the kids ride to church with him, has supported our decision to homeschool, and most importantly prays for my family. Here's a pic of him holding my angelic nephew....(angelic nephew now says Pappaw, but not "aunt Beth" bah. I gotta fix that.) I love my Dad!!

Pics below are of my Big Brother and Sweet Sis in law....both who work very hard in the medical field. I have nice things to say about Big Brother now, like how hard he works, how he cares for the sick, and loves his family. I *wouldn't* have had nice things to say when we were teenagers...who loves the brother who pours dill pickle juice in your lemonade, hides under your bed at night and grabs your ankles, baptizes you in the creek, and does many more annoying (borderline evil) things to you???LOL Time has mellowed us both. His wife, my Sweet Sis in Law, is *wonderful* ...caring for all of my nieces and other nephew as they were her own....and giving us Angelic Nephew...sigh. Sweet sis in law also is good to my parents (gotta love her for that). She's beautiful inside and out.

These are my everyday angels, those I love, care about and hold dear, who make my life brighter....My Family.