OK I am officially technically challenged LOL

I just tried to set up an account at MySpace and I can't for the life of me figure out how to add friends. So, I'm putting out a cry for help. Does anyone use MySpace? If so, can you please tell me how to add friends? Thanks!

P.S. Now that I'm writing for 2 other homeschool blogs (Hub Pages and Phenomenal Homeschooling), I'm not going to be writing about homeschooling for Associated Content anymore. I'll only be writing about freelance writing there from now on. As such, I've removed the RSS feed for AC from this blog but it is still on my Writer's Life Blog.

Socialization

Yep, that big "S" word again. This time I'm not talking about it for our children, but for us mothers. I've been having a hard time finding ways in which to socialize with other mothers. Sure, I go out and talk to people on a daily basis but I really miss forming a tight bond of friendship with someone. It seems that the friends I use to have are still single and the 1 mom that I did bond with is now busy moving to Cleveland (and I do wish her all the best). So, now, once again I'm on my own to try to find some new friendships. Am I the only 1 that seems to not be able to find these friendships? I know that I moved into an area that does not have many homeschoolers, but you'd think that there would be a way to bond with someone. I don't think that we're hermits but I do think that I have difficulty interacting with mothers who do not share at least some of my same interests. With this in mind I wrote down some things that I'd like to try to do so that I can form these friendships. Of course, I'd love to hear what you guys and gals think about socialization for homeschool moms. Where have you found friendships, outside of homeschool groups (as there are none around where I live)? Please give me a hand here as I'm starting to feel that all I do is work and homeschool, which is making me start to feel a bit lonely. Thanks everyone!

The dreaded "S" word

Am I the only 1 who doesn't seem to know how to get socialization into their homeschool. Unfortunately there are not any homeschool groups in my area. However, in a lot of other ways we are blessed because there are so many great programs that my dd is involved with and they're all in working distance from my house. Plus we're really involved in our church's wonderful children's programming. There's also a playground only a few blocks away. While I haven't been able to have many play dates at my home, my dd is still around other children each day. Here are some of the techniques that I've used to encourage play dates. I honestly believe that these things would work if more parents actually had time to do play dates. Unfortunately in this day and age so many parents are just too busy for play dates. Am I the only 1 discovering this? I'd like to know of your success at establishing play dates for your child. What has and hasn't worked?

Reflections from a homeschool mom

I swear sometimes I get really reflective on the area of homeschooling. I guess it's called good parenting whenever you stop to make sure that you are doing everything in your power to ensure that your child is getting a good homeschool education, which I know my dd is getting and yet I still stop to reflect once in a while. Well, today, I was reflecting upon my budget and decided to write an article sharing some tips as to how we manage to homeschool on a budget.

Just sharing some random thoughts

I ran across this quote on 1 of the blogs I read daily: "Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive . . . then go do it. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive." Like she mentioned, this quote by Howard Thurman really does describe unschooling in such a wonderful way.

I also read The 5 Best Things About Homeschooling and want to share it with you because it invoked a resounding AMEN from me. I think you'll also agree.

Spring is finally back here and we're about to go out and enjoy it. I hope it stays this time. Have a great day everyone!

P.S. I have just updated my other blog, Phenomenal Homeschooling, with some information about unit studies. If this topic is of interest to you, I invite you to come on over and take a look.

Am I the only 1...

... that struggles with scheduling? I know that I'm probably not alone and that this is probably why we primarily unschool (I say primarily because I do suggest some schoolwork for my dd to do on occasion). I've spent the day working on articles (1 of which I wrote about scheduling) while dd has been playing and watching educational television. We also walked to the store and back but I feel as though we should have done more. Nevertheless, I know she's learning and so I guess I should just relax LOL

I'm procrastinating again LOL

OK so I'm procrastinating again and I know I shouldn't LOL This time I'm putting off finishing a report that I'm writing. I know that I'll be angry about it at the end of the day though. Yet, here I am thinking about all of the things that I need to do:

1. I have to put all the loose papers into my dd's portfolio
2. I have coupons to sort through
3. I have paperwork to do
4. There are lots of articles that I need to write for clients
5. I still have Easter decorations to take down and put away
6. I have a house that needs cleaned

Nevertheless, here I sit wondering: Am I the only 1 that procrastinates this much?

Curriculum

"Have you ordered your curriculum yet?" is a question that I'm getting tired of hearing as an unschooling parent. Why? Because when I state that I don't order curriculum I get questioned to death. I've noticed this quite often lately. However, I've decided not to go on a rant about it because it'd just be a waste of time. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this recently?

And for those of you who are choosing homeschool curriculum this year, here are some pointers for you.

Portfolios

I live in a state where portfolios are required and when I did some cleaning of my book shelf the other day, I realized just how far behind I am in this process. So, what did I do about this? I wrote an article LOL Leave it to me to find a way to procrastinate even farther.

I must be crazy!

OK I must be crazy as I now own 5 blogs LOL My newest 1 is my writing journal. If any of you are interested in writing or are a writer, feel free to check it out. I doubt that I'll promote it much as it was just a place to share my thoughts about work as I'd like to keep Homeschool 4 Us on target, being about only homeschooling life.

Speaking of this blog...

I added a new section over in the right hand column of the places that I visit daily. If you know of any other places that I should visit daily, please let me know. I love learning from the wonderful people who are generous enough to read my blog.

Well, I spent the last 2 hours getting myself better situated with my life online and printing out our next lapbook. We've officially finished studying the rain forest and are about to embark on a lapbook about ancient Egypt, focusing on pyramids. I'm kind of looking forward to it as I found a really neat book to go with it. It's called "Discovering Egypt" by Pinwheel Children's Books and it's a pull the tabs book but it's packed full of great info.

OK Back to work I must go...

What a day!

I've been so tired all day. So, what do I choose to do? Clean off my bookshelf in order to get some books together to take and cash in on. Now my house is a mess. Then I tried to set up my new blog and I'm having a dang time doing that too. Why did I choose to do these things today? Why am I sooo tired? I have so much stuff to catch up on with my homeschool stuff but at least I've made a dent in it today.

P.S. I finally got an article posted to my new blog. In this 1 I chose to write about the cost of homeschooling. Take a read and let me know what you think!

Why do you homeschool? What makes for a good homeschooling day in your family?

Christine challenged us in her blog to share why we homeschool. Then I look at another 1 of my favorite blogs, entitled Mom Is Teaching, where she asks us what makes a good homeschool day. Well, after some thought I realized that I don't have a really in depth reason for why I'm homeschooling. Simply put I'm homeschooling to ensure that my dd has a safe place to learn and excel. As such, I feel that I'm providing her with a better education than she could get from the good school district we live in - isn't that humorous. When it comes to having a good homeschooling day... Mine is whenever I can tell that my dd has learned something from what we've done that day. Usually this happens simply by talking to her and hearing what she's learned on Animal Planet or National Geographic, or from something we've done together. Anyway, I'd love to hear from you why you homeschool and what makes a good homeschooling day for your family.

Reading

I don't know what exactly to entitle this post bc it's such a mix of things. It's also going to be a short post as I'm at my parents' house celebrating Easter. Anyhow, not many of you know this about me but it was a real struggle to let go and truly be an unschooler. Even now I still question myself sometimes, even though dd is the 1 that always asks me to do a workbook. Well, today we stopped at the local drug store to pick up a few things. We were looking for Scott tissue because it was on sale and who knows why we couldn't find it but dd, who can find almost anything anyway LOL, pointed it out to us. I asked her how she knew it and she said she sounded it out. I was like WOW, my dd can actually read. Now this may sound like I didn't think she could read but you have to understand how reluctant my dd usually is when it comes to sounding out words, which I know she can do. It just was a pleasant surpise to me as well as a confirmation that unschooling is working. I can even see it in the conversations that she's had with my parents today. She is definitely paying attention whenever she watches an educational show on TV or is in Sunday school even though I'm so use to "yelling" at her to sit still, which she never does despite what I try. Yet she's still learning so much. What a happy moment for me, someone who was reluctant to unschool for such a long time.

Something Cute

Here's a cute quiz to find out what type of a homeschooler you are. Here's what I got:

Martha Stewart No project is simple for you, everything is very involved; lace, ruffles, and flowers make it a good thing. Your curriculum is heavy on fine arts: art appreciation/recognition, historical architecture, music, creative writing, and literary classics. If your students absorb a little math and science along the way, so much the better.

This is too funny considering that I'm no Martha Stewart but we are big time into art, crafts and I work as a freelance writer. I'd love to find out what you are!

Happy Easter / A Blessed Ressurection Day For All

We went to our church's egg hunt today which was fun. I am going to have to find a better egg hunt to coinside with it next year though. Mostly it was a lot of coloring, which my dd really doesn't enjoy. Then they get to find 1 egg with their name on it and things inside of it like a stamp, a bracelet, etc. They also got to hear the Easter story. My dd is really into finding eggs but this year it just didn't work out. So, next year we'll find a good, additional egg hunt to go to hopefully. Then we had Arby's for lunch and did my taxes. I can't believe I'm getting such a nice refund this year. I hope my student loans don't take all of it because if they don't I'm buying myself a laptop WOOHOO!!! Tomorrow we'll go to my parents house for Easter dinner and then church. Of course, dd will get a basket of stuff from the bunny and 1 from us, but we went really light on the candy this year, which made me happy. Instead we gave her 2 stuffed bunnies, some cute stuff from the dollar store, a nice bracelet and a leap pad game. I think she'll love it, especially since all of the dollar store stuff is from the Easter Bunny and the cutesy, nice stuff is from us LOL Anyhow...

HAPPY EASTER

&

A BLESSED RESURRECTION DAY

TO YOU & YOUR FAMILY

Just a thought

When you stop to think about homeschooling, what is the first thing that you think of? Do you think of a certain method? I'm sure that's what a lot of us think about whenever we hear this word. That's probably because we use our own specific method. However, I think that all of us should try to challenge ourselves to think about learning at home instead. This would definitely help to bring some unity to this community, which is something that we should all be concerned about.

Sleep is over-rated

NOT!!! LOL However, lately my body seems to think that it is. I've been unable to sleep much and all I do is toss and turn. I'm not sure why I'm this way but tonight was another 1 of those nights. In fact, I lay there thinking about some things that I need to "fix" about our life and our homeschool (besides the fact that I need to put our winter clothes in boxes and our summer clothes in the dresser and that I need to box up some books to take to Half Price books and sell LOL), with this in mind, I actually dragged myself out of bed and wrote a post on Phenomenal Homeschooling. I really hope that it doesn't sound preachy but if it does, please note that I'm preaching to myself more than to anyone else LOL

Easter eggs

Naturally dyed Easter eggs obviously aren't for us LOL We tryed using parsely, sage, blueberries and red onions. The only thing worked was the sage and blueberries. So out of 24 hardboiled eggs we have a bunch of orange and purple ones and some that are still white as we got tired LOL It's too much work for too little return. So, that's our story (& I'm stickin' to it).