Wow - it's been a LONG time since I have entered anything here....been really busy with everything, but am happy to say we are almost done for the year.  Here in MO you have to have 1000 hours for the year to be complete, and we are at about 960.  My goal was to be finished by the end of April, but we won't quite make it. 

My daughter will be taking some standardized testing so I can see how she's doing (or rather how I'm doing - LOL!).  This will be the first standard testing for her, but I really think we are ahead on just about everything, so I'm not too worried about it.  I'll test my son when he reaches the same age - he's much more laid back than her, so he's moving a bit slower. 

Both will be going to summer school in the school district this summer.  My daughter went last year - it lasts for a month, and if she doesn't miss any time at all she will get a $100 Visa card to spend.  She made it last year and I let her spend it all on Webkinz.  This year she will NOT be so lucky, as I will have her put some of it aside.  This summer will be my son's first foray into the public school system, and I must say I am MUCH more protective of him than I was my daughter.  Probably because she's more like me (maybe that's why we butt heads all the time) and he's much more sensitive....whatever the reason, it will be hard to see him go to school (even though it's just summer school) for the first time. 

On the flip side - I'll have the whole day to myself!  For a month in the summer I will be able to do my work and eat my bon bons in peace!  I will probably be bored to tears by the 3rd day without them, but maybe the house will finally get clean and all the laundry will be caught up and ....... I'm just dreaming!  I'd like to do some READING, which I just don't get to do enough of now that I'm a mommy.  Moms are well known for their sacrifices, and the only thing I really think I miss that I gave up was the voracious reading I used to do.  I would read for HOURS at a time, but now if I read for longer than 20 minutes I feel like I should be folding some laundry or cleaning something or spending more time with the kids.  I realize I deserve some ME time, but it's harder to put into practice than it sounds......

All right, I probably won't be back this way for a few months.....myspace has been sucking up a lot of my time, and I dont' get back here as often as I could/should.  Hope you are all doing well and will enjoy your summer!

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Just a quick entry - not much going on.......

Daughter is currently taking a math test - she'll ace it, I'm sure.  Then I take her to her enrichment classes at Good Shepherd Academy in Kansas City.  She gets a chance to get out and socialize with other homeschooled kids one day a week, and she gets to take classes she enjoys like Origami.  Due to some behavior problems she's been having she will not be going next semester (not behavior problems in school, they are at home with me and her father).  I told her she can go again in the fall semester if she chooses - and I'll send her younger brother along with her - a whole day to myself!  Whatever will I do?

My son is working on some penmanship, and he'll have a light school day because his sissy will be gone and he likes to just hang out when she's away and do what he wants, so I let him have a light day so he can enjoy some of it - me, too!

We all had a good Thanksgiving - deep fried a turke for the first time, and we did not burn the house down!  YAY!  We will be deep frying a couple chickens for Christmas.  We also make some homemade potato chips with the oil (peanut oil) and put salt and vinegar on them - my husband's favorite!  They turned out quite well.

I believe we are ready to take the month of December off of school.  Just math a couple days a week so they don't lose what they have learned - and the rest of the time will be for crafts and baking and watching Christmas/holiday movies and such.  I've got enough hours to finish by the end of April even with taking December off, so I'm happy!  My daughter likes to go to public summer school here, and they let her go (even without shot records) so I use all those hours towards the following year's school - and she gets paid for it at the end ($100 if she doesn't miss any days, and she didn't miss anything last year).  Know what's funny?  I dropped her off for her first day and cried and cried.......she was 8 at the time, turning 9 in a couple months.  I guess that was my delayed kindergarten cry, huh?  I missed her all day long.....then I got used to it, but I still missed her.  I had my son home with me, but I think he's gonna go next summer, so I'll have the whole summer without them for about 8 weeks or so.  Talk about separation anxiety!

Okay, gotta git and go check my work to see if I have anything to do before I leave!