Since President's Day was last week, tell me three things you think a President should be.

The first thing a President should be is loyal to his country and his people.  If he isn't loyal to his country, he might ask Congress to use our tax money for a statue of himself or for something else, instead of using it for the good of his people.  The second thing a President should be is honest.  He does this by not lying and admitting when he makes mistakes.  If he doesn't admit, people might think they should do that.  He should tell the truth even if the truth is something disturbing that the people don't want to hear.  The third thing a President should be kind to all people no matter what.  But sometimes Presidents have to make hard decisions, and not everyone likes them.  He might have to declare war.

I don't think it would be easy to be the President.  At one time I thought it might be kinda fun to rule, help people, and see everybody.  But it's really hard, and no girl has ever been a President before.  There are other businesses where you can help people.  Like a dog business, that helps people who are going to be gone awhile, especially when your dog doesn't do good in a hotel.  Or even if you were just running late for work, someone could walk your dog and feed it.  There are lots and lots of ways to help people, so I don't think I want to be President anymore.  Though it would be cool to be the first girl President.

Write about a goal you have set for yourself.

I have set a goal to get lots and lots of moola.  That's money.  I want lots and lots of money to buy things for vacation.  That's a true story.  I'm going to get it by doing school early, and doing jobs.  And I will not lie or whine anymore, or I will lose my moola.  I have already done some jobs this week, I cleaned Momma's bathroom, washed dishes, and helped clean out the car. I swept out  the garage too.  After I get lots of moola, I'll be able to play with lots of cool new things that I bought with my moola, moola, moola.

(This is the sixth post in a series of planning post, and the fifth post on planning for our homeschool.)


I can remember the first year that I was homeschooling that choosing curriculum seemed like a daunting task.  How in the world with all those options was I suppose to find the curriculum that would be the perfect fit for my kid.  The golden curriculum that would make everything easier.  And if I didn't find that magical curriculum what if what I bought was a total waste of money, or what if they didn't learn anything at all, or what if it actually made they more confused and made things worse.  Since that time I have figured out that there is no golden curriculum, the leprechauns probably keep it with the rest of the gold at the end of the rainbow, as a tantalizing trick.


These days my favorite part of planning a new school year is deciding on curriculum.  There are several things I look into before choosing curriculum.  I'll tell you a little about how I first began researching curriculum and then I'll give you an overview of my process today.  I have mentioned before, but it bears repeating that I feel like the best resource to start researching curriculum is with Cathy Duffy's books or website.  I started out with her book and learned alot about learning styles to help me narrow down curriculum.  While there is no golden curriculum, I think you will find that there are some that work better for different types of learners and different teachers and different family dynamics.  Now days though I check out anything new I'm thinking about trying on her website.  She isn't affiliated with any of the curriculum companies, she's just giving a well researched and thought out opinion on the products.

I am on several facebook homeschool groups and frequently get ideas about curriculum from there.  When something isn't working well for us I can throw out a question or search old post, and generally find some suggestions either for adjusting what I have, or for something that might be a better fit.  I also regularly read a number of homeschool blogs.  One that I have spent a lot of time reading in the last year is Homeschooling with Dyslexia.  A homeschooling mom of 8, 7 of who have dyslexia, has had tons of ideas and experience with curriculum that I can learn from to use with Britt.  A huge component in homeschooling is being willing to continually learn yourself.  In fact, this probably deserves it's own blog topic, but I never want to become complacent or feel like I know everything there is to know with the kids.  If one of my goals is to encourage lifelong learning, and a love for learning, then I need to model that.  This year, I made a list with some of her suggestions, to check out for different subjects.

So assuming you have thought about your priorities and interest for your upcoming homeschool year.  And assuming you have made some goals for your children, you are ready to dive into curriculum choices.  If you're priority this year for history is world history, and if like me you believe in a chronological approach to history; then when you hear about this AMAZING new history program for American history and the causes leading up to the Civil War, you are just going to make yourself a note for a later date, because it's not on your plan for this year.  Not to say that you might not make some changes.  I started out this year thinking we might do state history for the states we have lived, but changed my mind.  You just don't want to start buying curriculum willy-nilly and end up with 4 types of history that aren't complementary and you can't possibly all use in a year and no math when that was a priority, and have blown through your homeschooling budget.


When I am looking for homeschooling curriculum I'm looking for several different things.  First, I'm looking for things that meet the goals I set for the year.  I'll take math for example.  This year I have a goal for Britt and Ruth to learn multiplication, so a program that focuses on fractions isn't something I'm going to keep on my shortlist for this year.  So even though Math Mammoth is a top ranked program it didn't make the short list.  Next, I find something that lines up with my beliefs about schooling.  In math, I am not a fan of spiral learning, where you continually cycle through material.  I'm a fan of mastery, where a student has to really learn it.  I do like some occasional review though to be sure that the concepts remain in their mind.  So, for example another popular math program, Saxon, doesn't meet that criteria and it doesn't make the short list.  Next, I am looking at things that match up with the kids learning style.  Britt in particular is a very kinetic learner, things he can manipulate with his hands, so I want a math curriculum that works with manipulatives, even in higher grades.  That knocks out another favorite math curriculum Singapore Math.  This year I considered making a change to our math curriculum and had it narrowed down to Math U See the math we have used for the last several years and Teaching Textbooks.  I liked that teaching Textbooks, would let Britt be more independent in his math, that it read the problems aloud and would walk him through how to solve something if he got it wrong.  However, I ultimately decided that it was rigorous  enough and I didn't think it did a good enough job teaching the underlying concepts. I want the kids to do more than just learn the math facts, but have an understanding of mathematical reasoning.  I didn't find the one golden math program, I just narrowed down the field of great choices based on what I want in my child's education.


When I am selecting curriculum for the new year, I also look for things I think will engage the kids.  It doesn't matter how great of a history program I think it is if they are going to be bored to tears.  I have some fantastic history books on my shelves, but they aren't going to be interactive enough for the kids yet.  I need to find a program that really engages them, that works their imagination.  Something that they can get excited about.  I firmly believe the reason that most people hate history is because they were subjected to social studies in drab boring books all through grade school.  In areas like history and science I really like to ask the kids what they are interested in learning about and work those interest into our school.  Britt's first year of school he was obsessed with dinosaurs.  We checked out every book the library had on dinosaurs, for 6 months we read about dinosaurs every day.  By the time Britt turned 5, he could tell you about 30 or 40 different kinds of dinosaurs.  He made his own dinosaur book, dictating things he learned, with us recording their family and finding a picture for each one for him to color.  After that he was interested in the stars and space, so we spent 4 months learning everything about the planets.  I even learned about a number of dwarf planets that I didn't know existed.  That year at the homeschool convention, someone was selling a computer based program about astronomy, and he passed the test for their 4th grade program.  Kids learn and retain things that they are interested in, so use that to your advantage as much as possible.

Next we come to the final consideration that I have when purchasing homeschool curriculum - my budget.  After I've researched everything, and come up with my list, I start hunting for bargain prices.  Math is usually our most expensive subject.  But that is one of the areas in our budget that I'm willing to spend more money on. Science and history are areas that I'm more likely to build my own program out of library books.  There are components that I decide I can do without in a given year, or that I might put off buying.  I've put off buying a timeline that I want to use throughout our homeschooling years with history, for the last two years, but I'm springing for it this year.  There are tons of free or low cost options out there, but most of them are going to require more work on your part.  Now that we are up to 3 students, and I have a baby in the house, I don't want quite as much prep work, so I'm willing to pay a little more in order to have it better planned out.  Some people like a boxed curriculum or online options like FL Flex for this reason, I still like to retain more of the control over our choices, and for me the kids don't fit in neat grade level boxes.


I have a list of what I need to have up front, and what I won't get to right away.  For example, this year I plan to cover the Ancient Greeks and Romans for history.  Since I'm starting with Greece, I can wait to order the other material later in the school year.  Unfortunately for most people a budget is going to be a reality in getting curriculum.  I also prioritize my list, so I know what things I want to buy first.  And there are times, that I will go back to my second curriculum option instead of my first curriculum because it's a cheaper alternative.  There are also times that I go shopping for curriculum in my cabinet of handme downs, or find cheap or free options at used curriculum sales, or on the free table at homeschool gatherings.  This year is already shaping up to be my most expensive year yet, if we make it through everything I have planned, so Gary will probably require me to do some editing to my list.

A final note, on my very favorite thing to do though when I have a list of possible programs, is go to a Homeschool Convention.  There is nothing like being able to actually flip through books and materials, and to talk to the vendors.  Our first year I debated between Right Start Math and Math U See.  I talked with both of the booths, and after talking with Mr. Steve Deme the man who created Math U See, I felt it was the best fit for us.  The kids remember meeting him, and they watch his videos with their lessons.  They frequently tell people that Mr. Steve is their math teacher, not me.  When you are able to met the families and individuals who have crafted curriculum, you can learn alot about their educational philosophy and passion in creating a product, and if it will fit what you are looking for.

It's official after 9+ years of marriage we are finally home owners!  I've been a little nervous about the prospect, but today I'm nothing but excited.  I can finally do what I want with my home and yard without asking permission.  And for once I can imagine living one place for a long, long time.  I told Gary he'd better retire from Duda, because I'm not moving again.  The house needs some work, and lots of love, it's been neglected over the last few years, but I can see it being really great.   It's so nice to have a home that is OURS!

Here we are rolling over into 2016. Sayonara 2015, you absolutely STUNK!

So, for a review of last year's resolutions.

• We did manage to reduce our debt, and cash flow unemployment, nearly all of the big move, and with the generous support of so many the burial of Abigail.  We didn't pay cash for the car, but the loan we took out was tiny.  It will be paid off just making the minimum payments this year, and the interest rate is so low that the bank will have made a whopping $11 dollars off of us.  I can live with that, even if Dave Ramsey wouldn't.  I am happy with how much progress we made on the debt.  Everything I had planned to do by the end of the year we were finished with in July, to the tune of $20,427.47.  For the most part I am happy with that.  We might have used about half of what Gary made this year, to get rid of debt.  Not too shabby since we also have 3 kids.  Of course with the layoff we didn't do much after that, other than to cash flow the move to the tune of $5,186.46.  One of the unspoken reasons why we wanted a bigger vehicle was to have another baby.  I suppose we made that goal too, even if it wasn't the way anticipated.

• I also managed to improve my time management.  It's an area I feel like can always stand to be improved.  My planner has been a big help in that regard.  (Seriously, that EC Planner has been one of the BEST buys I have ever made. If you think you are interested follow the link and you and I both get $10 off if you buy one.)  Gary tells me that I do ALOT, so I must be doing fine in that area, but I always feel like I don't get enough done, and I don't have time for so many of the things I want to do for all the things I have to do.

• I feel like I met the majority of my schooling goals over the spring, to finish out the school year.  This year was going really well for the first 2.5 months too.  We took off from co-ops in the spring, and only did one in the fall.  I was intentional about picking out field trips, and making the most of opportunities when we were job hunting with Gary, and staying on target when we were home.  We have addressed alot of character stuff, but as always new things crop up in their place.

• One of my biggest successes I think has been in handling my temper and interactions with the kids.  I have for several years now, tried to be better about not yelling.  And you know what, losing a child that you will never be able to say "I love you" to, makes not yelling at the ones you do have infinitely easier.  I still rarely lose my temper with them over defiance, and having to repeat myself a million times.  But I can count on one hand the times that has happened in the last 5 months, and it doesn't equal me yelling.  What burns me up now more than anything, is the rage I feel when I hear someone else screaming at their kids.  It is pretty irrational, but hey, try losing a child, and then we'll talk about my irrational anger with other parents and medical professionals.  But I digress, I continue to hope to improve, to better model what I expect behavior wise from my children, but I'm not going to list it on my resolutions next year.

• My biggest failing this year, has been with my Bible reading and studying.  I started off well with the Church's reading, but had fallen off the wagon by mid year.  My own studies have been sporadic at best, and I didn't really start with any of them till after we lost Abigail.