Homeschooler's Rock!!!

My son TT's best friend proved that homeschooling is a wonderful thing last Saturday. He won the regional spelling bee and is now going to Washington D. C. to compete in the National Spelling Bee!!!!

I am so proud of him and I know his mother is too. What is really cool is that she also went to the National Spelling Bee when she was a child. I guess it runs in the family.

So since I don't use real names on my blog other than mine I will have to say,"Congratulations, Mini Phelps!" That is his nick name given to him because he is such an awesome swimmer. Geez is there anything that kid can't do??

Thinking about next year.

I have been reflecting a lot on what has worked for us this year as far as homeschooling curriculum goes and what hasn't. That thinking leads to what do I want to do next year? What works, what doesn't.

For our family I have to say the one thing we will no longer be using is Math U See. It was a God send when TT came home from public school so behind and confused. Now, it is a chore for both of my children each and every day. It doesn't help that I dread trying to teach the stuff in the weird quirky ways that it is presented. It just isn't a good fit for us anymore. But that is what is so great about homeschooling. If it doesn't work you can fix it!!

So here are my thought and plans for next year. Disclaimer: My thoughts can and probably will change before July, but I am a woman and that is my right.

For my TT, and 7th grader:

Literature: I thought about going with BJP but we enjoy reading novels and using the literature guides with them. So I have created a list with 3 definite novels and a few more that we may want to do. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and The Giver by Lois Lowry. We are also thinking about Tuck Everlasting and Animal Farm.

Grammar: I am thinking about Easy Grammar Plus or Abeka, with Editor in Chief B-1, BJP Vocabulary, and Word Roots.

Math: Teaching Textbooks 7

Science: BJP Science

History:BJP Heritage Studies 7

I haven't decided if I will add a semester of foreign language, but I know I want to do a semester of computer literacy.

For my sweet Poogie, 2nd grader:

All her subjects at this time will be from Bob Jones. We have been very happy with the curriculum this year and I don't see any need to change. I will be adding the formal science and history curriculum next year, and changing to BJP math or Saxon.

I hope to find much of this as I did last year in used condition online, at book and curriculum sales and from friends. Here's to planning.

We Missed the SNOW!!

I can't believe it. We went to Murfreesboro this weekend to move my hubby out of his apartment since he only stays there about 2 days a month. It just wasn't worth it. We drove up Friday, and ate Greek of course. Then we went shopping at the mall. My hubby is in desperate need of new clothes. So the shopping was for him for a change.

Saturday I got to go to my favorite store, Super Target. I could spend hours in there. Then we went ice skating in Nashville. The kids had been waiting to go back, they love it so much. We ended the evening at Opry Mills Mall hiking around the enormous place, and eating lots of junk food.

This morning we woke to so much snow, but no proper clothes to go out in it. By the time we got outside to load up my hubby's stuff it was beginning to melt big time. There was still some snow on the ground when we got home, but it was all wet from melting. The kids played in it anyway.

I just couldn't believe we missed it as much as we love snow. Maybe we will get some more before winters over, here's hoping.