Homeschooling Curriculums.... So Many Choices

With school starting in a month or so, I'm really trying to finalize what curriculum I will use for Big Bubba's homeschooling this coming up year. He will be in the third grade. In the past, I've used Time4Learning and for second grade I used Alpha Omega with teacher guides and workbooks.

Earlier this year, I heard about A Beka Academy. I've looked online and I see this year they are offering the classes online through video streaming. This looks very interesting to me, and I know that A Beka offers a great homeschooling curriculum. Plus, they are taking $100 off if you use the video streaming instead of the dvd's. The only thing that is holding me back is the price.

I don't want to spend $1,000 for a curriculum if it isn't going to be exactly what we are looking for. I'd love to hear experiences, especially if you have used their accredited program before.

I'm a little unsure of how it works exactly. It looks like he would basically go online and watch the classes. Then he would complete the tests or homework and mail it in?

The things that I would like about this is the fact that he can learn on the computer. I also like the fact that the classes are filmed in an actual classroom with a real teacher. I also like the fact that a third party does the grading, etc.

So homeschooling moms, if you've tried this curriculum, please share your experiences with me. Or if you know of another curriculum similar to this that might not be as expensive, I'd love to check that out as well. There are always so many choices when it comes to curriculums that sometimes it can be overwhelming.

Update on My Grandmother

Thanks to all that have been keeping us in their prayers. My grandmother went into surgery today to remove the tumor. During the surgery, they found a suspicious growth on her uterus too. They have removed that and are sending it off to be tested for cancer.

The doctors say that the tumor they took out of her colon was cancerous. I am hoping that they were able to get it all out. The good news is, she did wonderful during surgery and will not have to be kept in intensive care.

Please continue to keep praying for us.

4th of July

Glitter Graphics - GlitterLive.com

News that Nobody Wants

I swear I just got the worst news today.

On Wed my grandmother went in to the hospital for an outpatient test. They called her today to tell her that they found a tumor in her colon.

She had been having some bowel problems as it was and found out a few weeks ago that she was anemic. My grandma is a pretty vital and active lady, someone that you wouldn't think would be old enough to have a granddaughter my age. She is also a healthy eater that uses iron skillets, so it was shocking to find out she was anemic.

So right now, I'm just shocked and honestly worried. They are going to admit her into the hospital as soon as possible and do surgery to find out if it's malignant or not. As upset and worried as I feel, I can only imagine that she must feel 50 times worse.

It's hard enough to get news like this, but it's even worse when that person is like a mother to you. Not only that, but my best buddy as well. My grandma has always been the type of person that doesn't just sit around and wait for things to happen. She MAKES them happen. She has always been the person that I confided my deepest thoughts to, and she still liked me lol.

So I am just so sad. I'm praying that it's not malignant, but if it is, that she will pull through. I know we have had so many advances in medical technology that many people got a chance now. And she is full of fire and a will to live.

I'm asking you to keep her in your prayers and pray that we can get through this hurdle. It's just devastating. If anyone else has been through this just to find out that it wasn't malignant, I'd love to hear your experiences. Or if anyone has had a colon tumor and it turned out to be colon cancer, please share as well.

Top Entrecard Droppers

Top Droppers for the last 30 days:

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I have also decided that I am not going to participate in Entrecard's paid ads. I've noticed that there have been a lot of changes with Entrecard since they started this, and they have not been positive changes.

Thanks to everyone that visited my blog.

Love to buy on Ebay? Get 3% Cash Back.

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It's really very simple! There are no fees or catches to this. You simply go to their website here and register for free. They are affiliated with hundreds of retailers like Wal-Mart, etc. You click on the link of the store you want, and do your online shopping like usual. Upon your first purchase through their links, you get a free $5 bonus as well. It's that easy!

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You will want to make sure you use the same email address on your Ebates membership and order. That way when the retailer confirms your order with Ebates there won't be any confusion.

I've been using Ebates for a few years now, and I like it. Just make sure you login to Ebates and go to Ebay by clicking on the Ebay link to get your 3% cashback. Believe me, this 3% adds up. There are no fees at all for you to do this. If you are going to buy, you might as well get cashback for it right?

Ships that Don't Come In

Do you ever stop to think about dreams you may have that haven't come to pass?

As I'm nearing the big 30, I've been reflecting on "dreams" that I have. I've always wanted to travel the world. I know that there are a ton of grand adventures just out there waiting for me. I just want to see it all.

Today I was thinking about this great dream of mine, and also thinking about getting older. I guess you have to wonder if you will have the chance to live a dream before you get to old to enjoy it. Between the economy and terrorism, will this even be possible one day?

There are other things I'd like to do in life as well, but the traveling overseas was always a biggie. Yet, I look around and I see how many people never get a chance to do anything like that. Maybe it's not so bad if that wasn't their dream in life, but one of the saddest things is when someone's dream never comes to fruition.

The last 12 years of my adult life have flown by. I have to wonder if sometimes we always think we will do something in the future, just to wake up and realize that it's to late to do it. Time waits for noone.

So yeah this is one of those deep, reflective type of posts that really make you think. We all have our dreams, but how many of us get the chance to make them a reality? Life is all about dreams. Someday at the end of our lives we should be able to look back and say that we got to live ours.

Great song for you to listen to!



Joe Diffie - Ships That Don't Come In

I could tell he'd had a tough life
By the way he sat and stared
And me, I'd come to push and shove
So I pulled up a chair.

We talked of roads untraveled
We talked of love untrue
Of strings that come unraveled
We were kings and kindred fools
And just when I'd hit bottom
That old man raised his glass
And said at least we had our chances
There's those who never have.

So here's to all the soldiers
Who have ever died in vain
The insane locked up in themselves
The homeless down on Main
To those who stand on empty shores
And spit against the wind
And those who wait forever
For ships that don't come in.

He said it's only life's illusions
That bring us to this bar
To pick up these old crutches
And compare each other's scars
'Cuz the things we're calling heartache
Hell, they're hardly worth our time
We bitch about a dollar
When there's those without a dime.

And as he ordered one last round
He said I guess we can't complain
God made life a gamble
And we're still in the game.

So here's to all the soldiers
Who have ever died in vain
The insane locked up in themselves
The homeless down on Main
To those who stand on empty shores
And spit against the wind
And those who wait forever
For ships that don't come in.

Container Gardening

Here we are at the start of May, and my container vegetables seem to be doing well. I've got 2 larger tomato plants that were purchased at a large size. The early girl has already got 3 tomatoes growing on it. I've also got a big? boy tomato plant. My tomato seedlings are Rutger and they have sprouted and are shooting up. I actually got a pack of these seeds at Wal-Mart for 20 cents. The white eggplant seeds I bought and sowed are sprouting up as well. I also planted some seed potatoes and they are growing too.

This is the first time I've tried growing some potatoes, container or otherwise. I'm not a big potato eater, but I do enjoy new potatoes that are fresh from the garden. As a child when I would visit my father's mother in the summer, sometimes she would have new potatoes from the garden. I can remember her digging them up and using a scrub brush on them to remove the skin. It would come right off without much effort. They were so good.

In the back I've got some Green Pepper plants that seem to be doing well. I also purchased a summer squash plant that I planted in an old fashioned basket that I haven't seen since I was a kid.

I've always enjoyed gardening, but I rent so I'm unable to go out and till the yard up:-) This is my first year of trying out container gardening. My only problem is I am running out of containers. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on where I can get used containers for free?

So far I haven't had any problems with pests attacking the plants, but then again, it's early in the season. I really want to try to stay as organic as possible and not use pesticides. What's your favorite tip for fighting insects on your plants?

My children have really enjoyed the experience of planting and sowing. We've really enjoyed the whole process of watching the plants grow, and they loved filling the containers with dirt. They have made wonderful "farmers". Gardening is a great time to bond with the kids.

I'm am looking forward to the first tomatoes getting ripe and ready to eat. When I think of tomatoes, I think of red and ripe tomatoes grown in natural sunshine and fresh air. There is so much difference in the taste.

Big Bubba Gets His White/Yellow Belt

This is a video of Big Bubba receiving his white/yellow belt from his karate instructor Brian Howard (Brian's Martial Arts) on April 27th. I am so proud of him. He really worked hard for this honor and attended every single class.

Buy Tombstone Pizza and get $15 toward your utilities

Tombstone Pizza has an awesome promotion that I want to share with you. Purchase 17 pizzas, and they will send your local utility company $15 toward your electric bill!

You will need to print out the form here. Then cut out the UPC Codes from your pizza boxes. You will also need to mail in a copy of your utility bill to make sure they put the right account number on the check. To get the full details about it, click here.

If you don't want to go for the full 17, you can also send in 7 to 11 upc codes to get $5 towards your utility bill. 12 to 16 will get you $10 towards your bill. I'm really excited about this because we love Tombstone Pizza anyhow.

There are no catches with this except you need to save your upc codes and mail everything in. I wish other companies would start promotions like this!