An alternative to the bailout...

It seems to me that since most of middle America is opposed to the bailout, then the veto could be a good thing, our "representatives" are listening to the constituents...Now I recognize that something needs to be done, I am just not sure that $700 billion dollars is going to fix what is fundamentally wrong with th system... I think we have to get to the root of the problem, but to hear the news media (or the drive-by's as they are called by some) continued predictions of doom and destruction...I mean the country's financial crisis was not created by market conditions or poor management but by the evil nature of GREED.  Well, I admit there has been a slow-down and the market dropped dramatically yesterday, but we are still here today... The sky hasn't fallen yet... Some countries are even having a boost in their market economy, which they said wouldn't happen if the bill was not approved... I also think a criminal investigation and prosecution of those who defrauded other lenders or borrowers is something to think of also... And what about just starting at the top...The congressional leaders, I mean are they really doing their job or swaying here and there to the power and money spoken by the lobbyists?

And I mean, is the media really concerned about how this will affect me or are they more concerned about Warren Buffet... Who will lose more? Those invested heavily in this real estate fiasco or the average Joe who is already living day to day?

And what about these countries that we have "bailed" out? Are they ever going to repay us? I mean we have loaned billions upon billions... and what about all the money we give every year... If that money was kept at home just for a brief period... There would be no crisis..

And has anyone thought about the UN...Why is it only the responcibility of the US to pay for it... Is it not the "UNITED NATIONS" ? Would that not lead you to think that it should be a fiscal responcibility of all nations involved?

Enough of my ramblings... On to my original thought...

So, I have been looking at several different plans that are different from the one currently proposed by the Feds.. I am a Dave Ramsey kinda girl... I try to live within my means and spend wisely... with the occasional "I just gotta have it" purchase....  

Here are a few of his ideas...

Pray for the decisions of our lawmakers and that they use the "sense God gave them" when making the decisions that affect all of us...

FIAR resources...

Great site for FIAR resources...The Homeschool Mom

And check out School Express for their latest free unit on "feelings" ...Great for elementary kids...

Our trip to Chattanooga...

We went to Chattanooga this weekend... The TN Aquarium was having a "homeschool" day on Monday and several of the tourist attractions in the area were also having specials...

Ruby Falls and Rock City were offering homeschoolers a real deal.. You could see each place for $5 a person... Normally that's a $29 for adults and $15 for kids for the 2 places... We saved a bundle... and really had a great weekend trip!!

We rode the Incline Railroad.."America's Most Amazing Mile"...  Designated as both a National Historic Site and National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, the Incline Railway has been one of Chattanooga's most unique attractions since 1895. It is a one mile ride on a incline up the mountain at a 72.7% grade...It is the steepest passenger railway in the world...

 

Then we were off to Ruby Falls... DS and DD really loved this...DS learned all about the difference in stalagtites, stalagmites, and columns... He learned what forms the "wax-like" coating on some of the formations...  DD got to see her favorite thing "a beautiful waterfall"....

From there we went to our last stop... Rock City... once a personal garden, it took 4 years to create and then the owner decided to share God's magnificent work with others... It is truly a wonder...

Need a light? Some afternoon fun...

Needed some entertainment, so we made Chinese lanterns...

 

Gone Fishin'....

Fishing... It's something I have never had an interest in...But my kidlets love it... DH took us to a friend's house recently (they have a stocked pond) and took the kids fishing... They had so much fun!!

What's cookin' at our house this week...

Monday: Take-out pizza

Tuesday: Garlic Lime grilled chicken, oven fries, salad

Wednesday: Loaded baked potatoes (chili, sour cream, cheese)

Thursday: Chicken Salad sandwches (using up the left over chicken from Monday)

Friday: Pasta Bake for the family (I'm off to celebrate my friend's birthday)

Our school week...

We've gotten quite a bit accomplished this week, but I still have that feeling that hangs over me sometimes that we aren't doing enough, or the kids aren't getting what they need...

I'm not sure why I do this... I am sure it is some sorta deep feeling of insecurity (if Dr. Phil could look inside my noggin)...

But DD reviewed the letters B,T, S, C and then worked on simple addition with #1,2,3... DS continued with Saxon math, his nature readers, and Spectrum workbooks... We worked on Vikings, almost finished the Panda unit, and then talked about Stonehenge and what some of it's possible uses could have been...

I am trying to do as much history and science as possible in a unit study format.. But sometimes, I feel like it is over DD's head or to simple for DS... I guess it just a case of homeschooler insecurity... *L*

Have a great weekend!!

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine...

We had a representative come to our co-op today... TOS is having a great FALL sign-up special!!

It's a great deal!!  The Old Schoolhouse magazine is running a fall special!!

Right now, during the Fall Special you can subscribe for only $39! You’ll receive 2 years of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine (8 large quarterly issues) AND our current issue plus you’ll also get 6 fabulous bonus gifts totaling $120 and the first 1,000 new subscribers will receive a cute brown and pink "Homeschooling with Heart" tote bag!

I signed up today...and you can too... just click here.

Breakfast anyone??

This morning, the kidlets decided to make breakfast... It was lots of fun...We worked some more on seperating eggs (which we then proceded to mix up anyway *L*) and made pancakes.. They had lots of fun mixing up the batter and turing the pancakes on the griddle...

 

Bird project...

DD's "Keepers" class at co-op finished up their time with birds... DD had to do a report

and some other activities...One of the activities was to make a "bird" craft... Here is her Great Horned Owl (courtesy of dried beans, card stock, and googly eyes... *L*)

Thanks to my friend Michelle for these pictures...(I borrowed them from the "Keepers" blog)....

 

Parrot Mountain...

I have lived in this area most of my life...but I have never been to Parrot Mountain... DD's "Keepers of the Home" class at co-op have been doing a unit on birds and one of the activities was to take a field trip to Parrot Mountain... It is a beautiful place... This was a great field trip. We learned alot about birds. We heard some of them talk, some did tricks. We got to hold, pet and feed them. Definitely an overlooked gem...

DD had so much fun feeding the birds!!!

 

We had alot of fun!!! Only wish DH could have joined us for this one!!

 

SHARKS

This year at the fair there was a "SHARK EXHIBIT"... Really cool... The kids got to see all kinds of shark related things... The exhibit had a cage like the ones they use when they dive with the Great Whites...There was several items that had been actually removed from the stomachs of sharks...Everything from divers shoes to tires to tin cans... Then they got to watch a diver go into the tank with nurse sharks and some little sand sharks... He actually "danced" with the nurse shark and "kissed" it on the belly... Supposedly placing it in a trance by turning it upside down...

Down on the Farm at the Fair...

The Tennessee Valley Fair has come to town!! Yes, we got the opportunity to go to the fair again this year for a field trip...

The theme is "Down on the Farm" ... The kids are taken from booth to booth and given lots of easy to understand information about crops, animals, bees, products from the farm, etc.

They really enjoy it and I am always impressed by what they learn and retain from it...

It is even more fun because we were there with their friends and Daddy...

 

CPR

I'm an RN in a NICU... I work 4 days a month, but I still have to do "mandatories" as if I were a full time employee... One of those classes is CPR.. I am required every 2 years to take CPR... I really don't mind the "written" part (which is now done on computer) but I really hate the actual physical part of the test... I just feel so awkward when it comes to using those manequins... But this morning I went... took the test and completed the skills part with flying colors...

So if anyone is interested, you can learn all about CPR in 3 simple steps  here.

Demolition Derby

We went to our first "Demolition Derby" this week... It was at the fair and boy, was it a blast!!!

It had been raining on and off for the last coupl of days, so the dirt track was now a MUD pit... But luckily we had rain ponchos from the Dollar Store and we just put them up over our heads when the mud went flying...

We loved it...Who would have thought so much destruction would have been so much fun!!!

  

FALL FUN!!!

Can I tell you how much we love going to corn mazes in the fall???? It just seems to set the tone for the seaon for us... FUN!! FUN!! FUN!!

The kidlets played, did the maze, had a wonderful BBQ meal from Buddy's , took the hayride and picked out our pumpkins...

Karate..

Have a I mentioned how much my kids love karate?

They take classes 2x a week and look forward to each and every one... 

It is yet again time to test for another belt... DS is moving up to a red belt and DD is moving up to a green belt...

I am so proud that they are doing something that they love so much and doing so well at it...

 

Give me a T... O.... M....M... Y

My kidlets are playing Upward sports again...

DD is cheering and DS is playing flag football... Need I say how much they are enjoying it!!! The Upward program is such a great program... It is non-competitive, meaning no scores are kept and the kids are rewarded for positive behavior... You can check the program out here.

We will never forget...

Today on 9/11, I pray for the families of those who were lost on that day... I pray for the families of those who fight to protect this country and for the families who have loved ones who have made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that my children are safe... And I thank those and our fighting men and women today for their unselfish service and loyalty to our country...

We will never forget...

Libby's Hummer...

DD is taking the "Keepers of the Home" class at co-op.. She had to do a report on a bird for their unit...Mrs. April assigned each girl a bird to study... Libby was given the hummingbird... She was thrilled... Here is a picture of one of the 3 that visit our feeder daily...

 

Our time with the Pandas...

We are starting our unit on Pandas as a finish to our study of China...I have found alot of resources to use with this.

                                           

First is the lapbook found at  HSS .

I found a handwriting page on "P for Panda"  for DD here and for DS fun facts tho be used as copywork from here.

Misc. information for kids about pandas can be found at this site.

Vocabulary: Extinct, Endangered

Giant Panda basic facts:
* Giant pandas are bears.
* Pandas are mammals.
* Where do they live?  They live in mountainous bamboo forests in the country of China and is part of the continent of Asia (show on a map).  
* What do they eat? In the wild, pandas' main diet is bamboo shoots and their leaves. Bamboo is a plant (a type of grass) that grows in the mountainous and rainy forests where pandas live.  Pandas living in zoos eat bamboo, apples, sweet potatoes, carrots and other yummy nutritious foods.
* About 140+ pandas live in zoos, mostly in China and other zoos around the world.
* Their fur is black and white and perhaps it is to be able to find each other and to camouflage themselves in the cloudy forests.

I also found quite a bit of stuff to use at  Enchanted Learning.    

Our book list for this unit includes:

I love Gail Gibbons books, short, factual, and visually beautiful... The kidlets love them too!!!

A great find on PBS ... Love getting free books!!!

   Just one of the sweetest stories...

Don't cha' love those ZooBooks....??

 

The true books are a great series for intermediate readers who like to research on their own...

Well, I will post more of our time with the Pandas as we go through it...

Have a great week!!!

Volcanic Sunset...

A beautiful sunset seen tonight!!!

Thanks to the the eruption of Alaska's Kasatochi volcano, this beautiful volcanic sunsets occure in our sky..  The ash cloud has found its way into our sight and when the sun goes down (or comes up) you can see subtle pink waves, dramatic purple rays and campfire-red horizons.

Thank God for such beauty!!