More than just rides at the theme park

Guest post written by Alice Stevens

Sure, there are all kinds of rides that you can ride on at the theme park. But, I have to admit that my favorite part of theme parks are never any of the rides. I ride them and they're fun, but I have a different favorite thing there. I love it when amusement parks have sections where you can look at animals. I used to want to be a vet growing up, so you can imagine how much of an animal lover that I am.

I'm planning a family trip to the theme park in about a week or so, so I've been looking online to see if there are any new additions that we should go and see. Well, while I was doing that I saw the website CLEARTVBundle.com. After I read through it, I decided to change over our family's intenret access to it.

I found out that they're opening up a new part to the animal park! I'm so excited and I think that it's going to be so great.

Homeschooling Continues

It is funny, really, the amount of time that I now dedicate to my children's education. It is not as though I didn't before, I mean, I have always been very involved in their lives. I have spent countless hours at their school volunteering and subbing in their classes. I have spent summers doing work with them so that they did not lose any of their education over the summer. It has been nothing but push, push, push. And then I started homeschooling.

Friends want to know when I am giving them a break for summer. Seriously? There are no breaks. There weren't ever before, so why should I give them the summer off. So I can spend weeks trying to get them back? Nope, we are going all summer long. Now, that does not mean that they don't get breaks - work two days, get two days off, sort of thing. But homeschooling means that life is our classroom. Because I know everything about them and what they are learning, there is no reason why that can't be applied to every day life. It is a cloudy day - let's talk about the kinds of clouds that we see - cumulonimbus? Nimbostratus?

Children are hungry to learn, let them. You would be amazed at what they can do...

Lace Up Your Jogging Shoes

Guest post written by my buddy Orville Lynn

So, for the month of March and all months forward, I've decided to commit to jogging every other day. Most people who jog choose to do so every day, but with my crazy schedule I decided that jogging every other day would be best. I can stick to that schedule, and always throw in an extra run if I want.

So, every other evening, before I go out for my jog and my evening cup of coffee, I walk out the door, lace up my shoes, and go jogging. I always make sure that my home security alarm (click) is turned on before I go so that I never have to worry about my home possessions.

Jogging is now one of my favorite past times, even though I'll be the first to admit I'm not very good at it. I love that with jogging, there are many benefits. My friend and I have recently commuted to jogging with each other twice a week at the local park. It's a great way to hang out and stay physically fit at the same time.

For me, jogging presents dozens of benefits. I love the wind rushing through my hair and how great I feel every time after I run. I've stopped having sleeping problems, and I have lost about twenty pounds within three weeks. Not bad for little old me.

I guess it's now time for me to lace up my jogging shoes, and head out for my evening run.

Tough Days

So there are some tough days sometimes with homeschooling, I think this goes without saying. We have had them before where you literally question why you are doing what you are doing - and if you should continue or if you could be OK with public school after all. But what you have to remember is that the good days will come back around. If you find that you are having a really tough day getting the kids to do what they are supposed to do, then walk away. That is one of the benefits of homeschooling - you can stop, take a break and come back to it. Or you might find that the day is one of "those" days and you are not going to get anything accomplished. Best thing you can do for your children and your sanity is to take the rest of the day off.

We had two of those days this week - I am blaming it on the full moon, but it was really tough. First day we walked away. Second day they started out great and then it was just impossible! I was ready to pull my hair out. So finally, I walked away. I said that tomorrow is another day, and that was that. So today, we were back at it again, and thank God! Today was a much more productive day. They really worked hard, then we went to co-op, where they worked some more. Turned out to be a great day! But they are also paying for not working - tomorrow's fun day at Disney won't start until the rest of their work is done. If they take all day, no Magic Kingdom - it is that simple. So they know that there are consequences for not working and for making mommy crazy! Ha!

Seriously, just remember that they are going to test you in ways that you can't even imagine, and as long as the good days outnumber the bad, you are good to go.

Happy homeschooling...

Updates - It's Been Awhile

So, we have been homeschooling and LOVING it! Who would've thought?! It has turned out to be the best possible thing that could have happened for us this year. The education that my kids are getting is superior to anything I could have paid for! Seriously. What you don't realize when you take on homeschooling is that it literally takes over your life. It is everywhere you go - and since you know everything you child is learning you can take it with you everywhere you go. We go for a walk and next thing you know we are discussing clouds and whether it is a Nimbostratus or a Cumulonimbus. We are watching a movie and they make a reference to the Roman Empire and my kids are hollering out about the split of the empire and how the Barbarians eventually took over Rome - I mean it really is amazing. And you can solidify it everywhere you go - you see opportunities everywhere!

Plus, we work four days a week - two of which we co-op with another AMAZING family - and we have Friday's for all of our educational field trips. They are exposed to classes at the Science Center, Busch Gardens, Disney - the list is endless. We go to museums, parks, anywhere we want as we can find educational opportunities everywhere we go. It is really terrific. And yes, I was concerned about socialization? Ha! I guarantee you that my children are better socialized than many of them out there. The thing is this - when your child is in school they form a click and they hang out with the same kids all the time. In homeschooling you have your group of kids that you hang out with for co-op, then you have those that go to ice skating, then the ones from gymnastics, then the ones from Kung Fu - you get the picture. Your kids have to make friends in each one of these groups - kids from different social backgrounds, religions, ages, races, etc. - and every time you join a new group or go on a field trip with a group of kids you don't know you have to learn how to adapt.

Needless to say, homeschooling is not for everyone, but it is surely for us. We are having a blast and I have already made the decision to do it again next year. Too much fun!

Have an awesome day...

Homeschooling?

So, I begin my next adventure? I have decided to home school my children this year so I can give them an experience like no other. Both of my children are artistic and my husband and I have a similar background - so we felt that we would be the perfect people to take this on. Well, the first word that comes to mind is overwhelming. Taking on a task such as this one is never something one should decide lightly. I have been at it for two weeks now and I am still amazed by the resources out there, as well as how little I know. But it is a learning experience for my children as well as myself.

Now, I am very concerned about the social aspect because we all know those kids that are home schooled without that aspect and although they might be super smart - they cannot interact with people. We don't want that - so I have them in a co-op on Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays is gymnastics, Wednesdays is ice skating, the list goes on and on. So I am working very hard to get them with other kids - and get my fundamentals as well.

So, the blog has changed focus once again. As I go through this journey I hope you will go with me, and we will see how it works! At the very least, I know I will have given my children a year to remember, we can always make up the rest later on!

Til next time...

Hello!

Ok, so I know it has been forever - but you know it is summer and I have been spending every free second with my kids! Now we are down to the last two weeks and I am wondering where it went. We had a great summer - they both had stuff they wanted to do and we did it all! Rock climbing, swim lessons, velocity sports, Orlando science center, the beach, you name it- we have done it. It has been fabulous and i don't want it to end!

But end it must which gets me thinking about this school year. I have won the HSA Election for their school (which is their version of the PTA) and it is sure to prove to be a busy year. Add to that my normal job and all the other things I do and I am going to be ready for next summer before you know it.

I have not been following the Obama stuff as much as I should have - but from what I have heard I like it. I love the new health care plan - is it perfect no, but for all of those millions of people out there that don't currently have health care? It sure is. And before you say that the government needs to keep out of health care I want you to imagine having your child get injured, or horribly ill and being afraid to take them to a doctor or God forbid a hospital because you know that they won't want to treat your child and if they do you will owe for the rest of your life. People have to have a rational perspective on this - health care is not for the privileged or the wealthy, it should be for everyone. 'Nuff said.

Now that I have had my rantings, I will try to write more often, and if you are really looking for a great blog check out my friend Shannon's. She has been traveling for the past year - all around the world - and it is a great read.

Ta-ta for now...