Cindy's Life as She Knows It

Today would have been my father's 84th birthday.  What I wouldn't give to be able to visit my childhood home and find him on the corner seat of the couch watching All in the Family or Star Trek and see his smile, watch his very blue eyes twinkle and give him a big hug.  He was a vibrant, fun loving man who was crazy about his daughters and his grandchildren.  He made some mistakes in his life, but he was learning from them as he got older.  He loved the fire department.  He loved bowling.  He had so many friends!  He was Lou Boeh!! and sometimes he was larger than life.  He was a good time.  He lit up a room. Sigh.  I want to write about alot of memories I have of him.  I want them to be here for my children to see because my girls were young and I am sure some of their memories have grown fuzzy and my sons and my grnaddaughter have no memories of him to cherish at all, but I don't have the time right now to add them.  I know that I could spend hours reminiscing.  How I l

I have been thinking alot about resolutions lately.  It's that time of year, but my reflection this year is much more intense than in years past.  I have had a tough year emotionally and I have learned many things about myself.  I am strong, but not as strong as I had thought.  I have found my strength depended alot on other people and that this is not a good thing.  Other people have other agendas.  Children grow up.  Spouses are independent of you and may have ideas that differ from your own.  My most important of resolutions this year is to get a little bit stronger every day so that when I need to stand on my own two feet and take care of me, myself and I, I can do it.  I love my family and I am devoted to them.  I have nurtured them for 28 years now and I am proud of who they are and who we are as a family.  This year I realized that I am not proud of some of the things that I am without them.  They look to me to be strong and independent and with them surrounding me, I am.  W

Twas two weeks before Christmas and all through the house not a present was wrapped up, barely one in the house.  The stockings are stuffed in the box in the hall, but the decorations they do hang up high on the wall.  The granddaughter has pushed every button around to get all the animatronics to make a loud sound.  And I in my pjs and dad in his jeans, are hoping to hurry and fulfill everyone's dreams.  With wrestling on Wednesday and basketball too, the shopping has waited and now it's a zoo! But when Christmas Eve comes and Santa drops by, I am sure that everyone will take a deep sigh. The presents will be tucked safely under the tree, I will head to my bed....Merry Christmas to me!

We woke up this morning to another dreary, gray day so getting started was slow.  We finally got motivated to do morning work around 10am and then watched a Netflix video on dinosaurs while Dakota had some imagination time with his dinosaurs on the floor.  That's not something that happens much anymore now that he is older, so it was nice to see.  Afterward, he got to do a Dino Dig kit that I had gotten at the store.  It doesn't seem to matter what company I get these from, they are always harder than they look and the darned dinosaur bones are minute....putting them together in "puzzle fashion" tomorrow will be great fun... After lunch we read/sang Christmas songs that we had books for and then read a review book on ancient Egyptians. We will be moving on to mummies and pyramids tomorrow and hoping to pick up the pace before the holiday arrives on this unit.  Some math, spelling and a Christmas Across the USA unit later, we were both done.  I am so ready for the ho

Today is a dreary, cold, rainy Friday and Dakota and I are just not feeling alot of schoolwork.  I am right there with him in the "I'm tired and feeling lazy" vibe so currently he is reading his Magic School Bus Dinosaur Detective chapter book and I am on the computer.  He has only painted a wreath and watched a Magic School Bus holiday video so far. Natalie just went down for her "long winter's nap" lol.  It's blessedly quiet save the thrum of the dishwasher going in the background. Yesterday we got in alot of work.  He did all his morning prep work, we made a dino fossil out of plaster of paris from his MSB kit and read about Tyrannosaurus Rex.  We worked on a dino packet and some history worksheets, got in some math, wrote a letter to Santa, read a Christmas book and some other things.  I think today I am going to be a couch potato with him and start the weekend early.  Our house is decorated inside with lots of fiber optic trees and snowmen, Winnie

Monday was the start of a fun new group learning experience for Dakota.  Sometimes it gets a little lonely being an only child homeschooling so we have invited a family with four kids, 8, 7, 5 and 4 and a little one, the same as Natalie to come over on Monday afternoons and work with us.  Yesterday we worked hard in the morning to get our Magic School Bus dinosaur science unit started doing a sequencing activity about fossilization,got our math and reading in, so we could be ready for an afternoon of history learning following the Story of the World, Volume 1, the first few chapters. Our friends arrived at 12:30 and we got right down to learning.  We started with a group discussion about the Egyptians and the Nile, talking about the nomads, the fertile crescent and the story of King Menes.  Then we read Chapter 3 about hieroglyphs and cuneiforms and used another book to learn about Rosetta Stone.  I gave each of the kids a piece of tagboard that I had cut to look like a tablet and th

Back to school today to start the home stretch for the year 2012.  We have eighteen more school days until Christmas break and we are both excited!  Today got off to a slow start, as Mondays after a holiday week tend to do, but after dodging a mysterious rash that appeared on Dakota and handling a few dozen phone calls, I was able to get him started on his morning work.  His Today's Special was on Charles Schulz, who's birthday would have been today.  We read a short kid-friendly biography, looked at some Peanuts comic strips and colored a picture of Charlie Brown and Snoopy.  Next in his daily prep work was Monday's new movie on BrainPop Jr., which just happened to be about fossils, right on time with our dinosaur unit we are doing this week!  Next came his language arts warm up book, his journal and his handwriting practice. While Dakota worked I stripped his bed to make sure nothing was hiding in there to bite him and cause this rash and started a pot of beef and veget

Yesterday we did a little school work in the morning, finished up the chores and packed up the truck.  At noon Daddy, Dakota and I headed off to swimming and by 1:30 we were on our way to pick up Brian David in Towson and head to Jellystone in Hagerstown for our cabin camping weekend.  We got here about 4:30 and the guys unloaded while I put things away, then they made a fire while I made dinner.  After spaghetti in the cabin, we sat around the campfire and took in the stars.  They were truly gorgeous.  The sky was incredibly clear and it was brisk outside.  There was no wind and the inky blackness was a beautiful background to the stars, which were so bright they seemed unreal.  The brightest ones looked painted in the sky and then if you kept looking you could see the really distant clusters, pinpoints of light unimaginably far away.  We watched for falling stars because there are supposed to be meteor showers this weekend, but weren't fortunate enough to see any.  Brian David se

Today was to be our last full day of lessons before we move on to half days and holidays this November.  I was running behind in my morning chores and preparation so I told Dakota to "be creative", something he is very proud to be!  He got his camera and some of his wrestling men, put on some wrestling themed music and made a slide show and video of a wrestling match.  This may not seem particularly educational, but it is surely creative and the video making and music add ins certainly qualify for creative credit for the day. I got Dakota started with his daily prep work about 10:45, which gives me an additional 30 to 45 minutes to get things done while he works on charts, language arts activities, a BrainPop Jr. video of the week, his journal and cursive handwriting practice.  I love this time when he is independent of me, but working hard and getting himself in the right frame of mind for the day.  Next we did math, which I find is a tension filled time lately because my

Like everyone else, Mondays in my life come way too soon.  This one was no exception and getting little sleep last night didn't help.  I decided to start the day off by going to the thrift store for their 50% off sale.  I love to look for good finds at the thrift store!  The crowd was large, the shelves almost bare and the line long, however.  After we left there, Natalie and Dakota and I went to the Arbutus library to replenish our supply of books and educational videos.  Then we met with Daddy/Poppy, for lunch at Sorrentos before hitting the Landowne library on the way home to pick up my holds.  Once here, we only had half a day left, but we watched a great Reading Rainbow on mummies based on a book by Aliki and it really held Koda's attention, with a few "wow!" remarks thrown in!  Then we moved on to our first Christmas Across the USA unit, starting with Connecticut, with a little embelishment.  We used the clue under our countdown to Christmas snow globe for the d

Today we really started delving into our ancient Egypt study.  We are supposed to be following Story of the World, Volume 1 and I love the program, but we got off to a bad start with all the personal and family issues we had this school year early on and rather than stress about it, I shoved it aside and just got back into it recently.  SOTW kind of zooms past this part, but I found there is so much to learn and tons of great crafts and fun activities to do that we are going to slow down, have fun and really enjoy it. Today we reviewed our SOTW story about the Nile River then did a short mapping activity that they presented.  Then I used www.enchantedlearning.com to pull up a "follow the directions" map on Egypt that was more comprehensive and Dakota did that.  We read a story about the two kings and Upper and Lower Egypt and how King Menes won the battle and combined the colors of the two crowns to make one united country.  We followed up by starting our new Magic Tree Ho

Wednesdays are co-op days at our house.  This is the second year for my own personal AAHE Cooperative and I am so proud of the way it has turned out.  Last year we did Fifty Nifty United States.  This year we are doing Artists and Composers.  Each week a two moms have teaching duties.  We have two age groups of 12 kids each for these topics....the older class is age 8 to 10 and the younger class is age 5 to 7.  From 9:25 until 10:25 the older kids learn about an artist and the younger class learns about a composer.  At 10:25 we have a 5 minute switch and break and the teacher moves to the other class and repeats her lesson, tweaked to be age appropriate.  Today the kids learned about Mary Cassatt with Wendy T. and they did Tempera Monoprints.   http://homeschoolblogger.com/melissal89/506477/    Wendy read the kids a book then they started the project, allowing the kids who weren't having a turn with the art materials to draw on their own.  They turned out great!  For music, Leslie

Life has been anything but normal for us here at our house throughout October, but we have weathered the storm and are coming through on the other side.  I am getting back to my normal routine and that includes our daily, or close to daily, homeschool/family life blog.  I have missed it!  Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.  Leave a comment or two now and then.  They really make my day!  Cindy Yesterday and today I had hoped to get a full, focused day of homeschooling in since I didn't have my granddaughter, but I forgot that if my daughter is off work, that means the neighbor kids are off too!  Dakota was willing to give me a half day of focus both days, but by lunchtime he really wanted to be free to go outside and play, and I couldn't blame him.  Both days, however, we got a great deal done in three hours.  It makes me think that we may start to do all our "important" things in the morning and start saving the afternoons for videos, arts and

Recently events have happened in my life that have rocked my world.  I have questioned my faith, my heart, my senses.  I have felt more emotional pain than I have had to bear in a very long time and I have had to pull myself up, wipe away my tears and carry on because there are people out there who need me.  My family has been strong for me.  This is something I wasn't sure would happen.  When you care for others constantly they often seem to take it for granted and you wonder when the chips are down, will they really be there for you?  I have found out that all four of my children are forces to be reckoned with and are standing firmly by my side, carrying me through.  I have found that some relatives are loyal and true, while others are not so much.  I have found that friends can be a huge blessing, but some can also be a disappointment, failing to be there when you thought they would. I have learned alot about myself in the last few days.  I have had to look deep into my soul a

This week we found ourselves into the month of October and, while I feel we are "behind" in our studies as far as where I had hoped to be at this point, Dakota and I are not feeling stressed or burned out during our school hours and that's a positive thing.  We had to do some cramming to get in Monday's work after having to drop Brian David off at college in the morning, but Tuesday we enjoyed a lazy day at home, using this week to finish up our Space unit, making a poster and a mobile of the planets.  Dakota finished his Magic Tree House book and today started independently reading Magic School Bus Space Explorers and filling out a book report form along with it.  We read under the blankets for awhile and my heart warmed me more than the blanket when Dakota said he hoped we would spend alot of time reading under the covers this winter. Nothing else stands out in my mind as noteworthy, but we did have a good day.  Today was our co-op meeting and it was my turn to te

Our Baltimore Orioles have been a laughingstock around here for many years.  Back in the day, when Ken Singleton, Rick Dempsey and the boys from 33rd were together and we won the World Series in 1983, things were different.  Buy for the last fifteen years, Oriole wins have been few and far between.  This year, however, things have changed! The O's are back and in rare form!! Around here we like to say that the reason behind this miracle season is that our son is now working for them, but we know that this is just luck.  I guess all these wins can be attributed to some luck, but these young men and their trusty leader are taking the baseball world by storm and Baltimore is sitting up and taking notice.  There is Oriole Magic in the air.  People are wearing their black and orange.  The stadium is selling out and everywhere you go someone is asking "How 'bout them O's" :-) Today was our last regular season home game.  My older son had to work the game and my husban

Today has been a beautiful Monday.  The weather is cool, actually pretty crisp, and it's sunny and glorious outside.  I had done my planning last night and had lots to do in my book today.  We got started almost on time, but the day ended up winding and twisting like a dirt road in the country, peaceful and tranquil and full of beautiful visions along the way. Dakota started his morning work and enjoyed his independence.  This is such a pleasant change from the reluctant student who I had to beg to start every morning last year.  He does his journal, a language arts starter book, a page of cursive, a weather/temperature chart, watches the BrainPopJr app of the week on Monday and checks his Today's Special board for whatever is there for the day.  Today it was The First Day of Autumn, which occurred over the weekend. When he was through, we took our Awesome Autumn book out to the deck and sat on the swing to read it, finding out why the leaves are turning colors and talking ab

Twenty one years ago today I married my husband, my knight in shining armor.  He swept me off my feet, making sure there was room on his trusty steed for two very sweet little girls who thought he was a hero.  Down the road a way he had to attach a wagon to that steed to fit in two little boys, who also waited for him to ride in and save the day (by taking them to some fun place and playing catch ;-) Today, that knight is a little more gray (okay, alot more gray!) and this fair princess is more "fluffy" and "jiggly" than she used to be and those two little girls are grown women..  One of those little boys is darned near a grown man.  He is still playing catch with the littlest boy, who is definitely a knight in training!  Sir Brian is not only a Daddy Knight now, but a Poppy Knight and there is a new little girl with stars in her eyes when she looks at him. Brian, I know there have been some tough times.  I also know there have been some wonderful times.  That&#

Wednesday dawned bright and beautiful after a wet Tuesday.  We had a rough morning getting out of the house early and organized, but we made it and got to the church for the new year of our AAHE Cooperative just in time to open up and welcome everyone back.  It was so nice to catch up with old friends and get to know some new ones.  Our theme this year is Artists and Composers.  The teacher for the artist, Michelangelo, did a fun activity where the kids got to lay under their chairs and paint on the "ceiling".  They loved it and thought this was very cool.  The teacher for music did an introduction to instruments, letting the kids listen to different musical selections, showing them different instruments and then letting them have fun watching a Looney Tunes cartoon about the orchestra.  This was a very big hit! After co-op we met a friend and her daughters for lunch at McDonalds and then we all met another friend at the Airport Park to watch the planes come in and chat whi

Today was a rainy Tuesday here in Maryland.  We were supposed to go back to the Science Center, but staying at home had much more appeal.  I made it a fun day by letting Dakota stay in his pjs, reading under the blankets, watching a video on his health book instead of reading it and making chocolate chip cookies.  It was National Playdoh Day so at lunch time I set up his table in his room with a big sheet underneath, broke out all the playdoh tools and let him create for over an hour.  We did a floor puzzle on the solar system, painted a family tree using sponge painting for our history project coming up at the end of the week and really minimized all of the mundane tasks that we have to get in most days.  As always, there morning went much better than the afternoon, but we muddled through the laziness and  lack of focus that afternoons often bring. This evening everything was cancelled due to impending bad weather so we enjoyed a rare fall dinner with daddy and watched the Lorax tog

On Thursday after school we packed up our things, loaded the truck and went over to Spalding to drop Brian off at his football practice (where he is the Asst. Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator).  While we waited we had dinner at Friendly's with MomMom, filling up some time.  Around 7, Brian called, we picked him up and off we went for our Delaware Adventure.  Spalding's football team was playing a game in Lewes, DE on Friday night so we decided, as we often do, to make a mini vacation out of it.  We got in to our hotel, which, unfortunately, was nothing to write home about, around 9:45, got our stuff inside and went right to bed.  On Friday morning we were up early, had a continental breakfast at the hotel and headed to Rehoboth Beach. It's a small, quaint little beach community with a beautiful and peaceful beach and a small boardwalk with some restaurants, some typical souvenier shops and a few old standbys like Candy Kitchen and Dolles.  We spread our blanket and I sp

I have been trying for the past week to post and I couldn't get the site to cooperate.  I couldn't type in the boxes at all and it was frustrating, especially since my life just now changes as the wind blows, good and bad, hectic and calm, tumultuous and harmonious. On Tuesday of last week we had our first homeschool day at the Maryland Science Center.  I took my daughter, Keri, with us so there would be a set of hands available for both young ones.  Keri and Dakota went into the planetarium together and I knew that Dakota was really going to enjoy it this time, because we have been studying the stars and he has been very "into" how they form and learning about the constellations.  Natalie and I went upstairs to the Kids Room and spent a good bit of time in the Toddler Room, where it is blocked in and all the young moms are sitting on the floor, most of them chasing a toddler and pregnant with another, chatting about things young mothers chat about.  I felt wistful

I am a fall kind of person and nothing is better than a crisp autumn day, a nice long walk in the morning and schooling out on the deck.  Today I planned just that kind of day for my little son, granddaughter and I. We had a slow start, but after getting ready and getting a late breakfast we still decided to start our day with a long walk through the park.  The sky was an incredible blue and the temperature was just right.  We were out about an hour and then came back in to put Natalie in to nap and start our schoolwork.  We sat at the table and did our daily prep work, spelling, language arts.  We hadn't gotten to science for a few days so we spent some time reading and talking about stars to get a good understanding before we head to the planetarium tomorrow for our first Homeschool Day class at the Maryland Science Center.  We made a constellation box and some constellation cards to go with it.  We did a demonstration of the earth going around the sun and talked about why we hav

If you are following me here at Cindy's Life As She Know It, you know it's been a tough stretch for me.  I am usually upbeat and positive, but I have been struggling.  Yesterday I went to church and dropped my son off at Sunday School and then attended a Bible study class with my pastor and a small group of people.  I always forget how at peace I feel when I am there.  I am not as involved as I could be there, but they are welcoming, kind and loving and I always leave feeling better than when I arrived. After church my husband gave me money to get a new outfit for a crab feast we were going to..  I can't remember the last time we went to a function like this together and I wanted something I could feel attractive in.  I ended up finding a pair of white capris on clearance and then hit Dick's Sporting Goods for a really cute Raven's shirt.  It will serve me well through the season.  I hate wearing the boxy mens t shirts anymore.  I like the women's cut with the

I am having trouble in my life right now for numerous reasons, but I was thinking today that one of the things that is throwing me so off balance is the lack of consistency in the most important things in my life.  I used to know what was coming next, who was here now and who would be here later.  I knew how those that I hold closest felt, both about me and about life...or so I thought.  In the last few weeks, however, I just don't know about anything.  There have been major upheavals and I'm not sure what each day will bring.  Some days my son calls home, chats openly and shares his day.  Some days he doesn't contact me at all and if I try to talk to him he mumbles and pushes me away.  Some days he's home.  Some days he isn't.  The relationship with my husband is the same way too recently.  Good.  Bad.  Hot.  Cold.  Smooth.  Bumpy.  A promising tomorrow.  An empty future. This is all very confusing to a woman who lives her life for structure and routine.  I wake

Dakota and I had a few personal errands to run early this morning, but we found out that it was "Be Late For Something" day so we laughed about getting to work and then headed out on our errands.  We were fashionably late to start our lessons, but still had a great morning, doing all of our language arts, math and Spanish. We are way behind in our Story of the World lessons, but it is not a big deal.  We will get through it when we get through it.  We read the middle part of our Maps and Globes book and looked at our map and globe and talked about the difference.  Then I let him paint a large blue Earth with the promise that he could paint again in the afternoon to add the continents.  I was hoping this would negate our problems.   He is so focused in the morning and we get things done in record time...but then comes lunch break...and I never really get him back. We take an hour break at lunch and I know that I probably shouldn't give him that long because I am sure it&

So here we are, firmly into September, usually my all time favorite month, tied with October.  Clean slate.  New homeschool year.  Great fall colors.  Crisp temperatures (soon).  This year, however, I don't think I am liking September very much.  Anxiety, stress and depression are constantly chasing me down, but I am trying to stay one step ahead.  Schooling Dakota gives me a diversion and it was actually the best time of my day yesterday once I got myself focused and found all the materials I needed that were sitting right under my nose, right where I put them.  We didn't do anything wonderful or creative, but we did work consistently.  We didn't get it all in, but I didn't stress over that because, in the big scheme of things these days, that's little stress.  I am pleased that we have quickly fallen into a new morning pattern of doing Today's Special and then his "daily prep", which includes a daily short language arts exercise book activity, a dail

Today is Dakota's eighth birthday and on my children's birthdays, I spend alot of time reflecting on who they are now and remembering them through the years as they have grown up to this point. I remember Dakota's birth so clearly.  I had a scheduled C-section on a Friday evening.  We went to the hospital, waited a long time and then I got prepped to go into surgery.  My mother made her way into the room before I went in, which did not make me happy.  She is too nervous, too high maintenance and does not make me feel better about anything.  My husband was distracted.  I've never really figured out why other than it was football season and the opener for his youth team was the next day, but I guess that's enough.  My three older kids were excited...ready to welcome this little brother and get their mother who had spunk and energy back! They wheeled me in, right past the crowd of "spectators" that was my family.  Ugh.  My husband came into the room and t

Two posts today, the last day before homeschooling posts really take over (although I won't say that matters of the heart and life with my older three children won't play a part).  Today it's about My Wish, the song and the reality.  Over the last two years my son Brian has endured alot of heartache.  He is someone who gives his all...whether it's in sports, academics or affairs of the heart.  He loves passionately and fully.  Those things or people who are a recipient of that love are truly blessed. Brian's first relationship was wonderful...for a short time.  He was in love with love.  He met a girl just before going into Spalding that some friends introduced him to and they seemed well suited.  The transition into a new school was made easier because she was there and introduced him to all her friends.  As the months went by, however, she became manipulative and demanding.  He thought that was how relationships went and, being the kind soul that he is, he follo

There have been alot of changes in my life lately that have caused me heartache and tears, not necessarily because they were bad, but because they were big..important...life altering.  As this week of new beginnings has played out, however, I have noticed a very positive change....my youngest son, Dakota. Dakota is a wild child.  He is high energy, high maintenance, full of sass and swag.  He is adorable and has a kind, loving heart, but he is also quick to fire up an attitude, has a hot temper and can test the patience of even the most saintly people.  This week, however, I have seen a huge change.  Last week he whined and cried about school.  He didn't want it to start.  He didn't want to do work.  He wasn't going to be able to play.  Saturday his brother moved out and went off to college.  Dakota stayed with his grandmom at home because I knew it was going to be a long day. I had alot of trouble adjusting and I cried alot over the next few days.  I am not usually one t

So here lately there have been alot of bumps in the road that is my life.  I am having great difficulty adjusting to my older son being at college, but if anyone who knows me was listening, I've been warning you for more than a year that this was coming.  I know myself and this is one of my toughest challenges.  I thought all was going well for my son, though, until he called last night, already in over his head with girl troubles.  Oh, how I wish he would have waited to get into a relationship until after he had been there awhile.  But he didn't, and there are issues, and I am concerned that this is alot to handle for a kid who struggles with adjustment anyway and now has a new home, new classes, is going to be juggling these things with his job and now there is this relationship to navigate.  I will support him in whatever he chooses, but I so wish he would slow it down and enjoy meeting lots of new girls. My marriage is having it's issues as well, but again, nothing ne

Today was day 2 of our second grade homeschooling year.  It went okay in the morning, except my granddaughter decided sleep was not going to be her thing.  We doubled up on the subjects we missed yesterday afternoon since I had them planned out for the week and just decided to wait until Tuesday next week for the other subjects like Science and Health.  Dakota was cooperating well and while he was learning to look up words in the dictionary he said "I'm surprised!  I'm having fun!".  Well that was a plus!  We didn't do anything creative or wonderful...I am still reeling from this move to college by my older son and wonderful and creative have not rejoined my circle yet, but we got through, shared a few laughs and finished what was on the morning schedule right at noon. The problems began after lunch....a return of last year's dilemma.  We take an hour lunch break.  In that time I cook lunch and feed Dakota and Natalie during the first 30 minutes and then sit

So today my littlest son starts Grade 2!  Time sure is flying!  I always think of PreK, K and 1 as the fun grades, not worried too much about academics, although Dakota blew through his second grade curriculum last year.  To me, second grade starts the read adventure into elementary school.  You are experienced and ready.  You read well, write well and can hold a good conversation.  You have opinions and can support them. So we started off welcoming Natalie about 7:45 and then all three of us had waffles with butter and jelly.  It is a nice morning out,, after a long day of soaking rain yesterday, so we put Nat in the pink car and the dogs on the leashes and took a twenty minute walk through the neighborhood, noticing how green the grass is after the rain, how blue the sky is and how it really still looks and feels like summer.  We will be noticing the changes in the season as we walk throughout the year. Back inside Dakota got to go to his new morning station, Today's Special.