Homeschool Day 5: Foiled

Today we studied the stars.  Okay, not literally because the sun was out, yadda, yadda, yadda.  But today we tackled our first Astronomy lesson since yesterday we chose the zoo over science.  We enjoyed reading through the lesson and discussing the heavens, God's purpose for the heavens, and man's study of and exploits in the heavens.  We memorized the order of the planets using the mnemonic phrase provided in the textbook: "My Very Early Morning Just Started Under Nancy's Pancakes."  Buddha had them down after one or two times through and he's excited to write his own mnemonic phrase.  Bugga is still working with me on memorizing them, but I'm obviously not pushing him at the ripe old age of three.  I have noticed that there is a marked increase in how much more information is retained and how much more easily it is retained when one can read.  I am so excited for the day when Bugga can read the way Buddha can, but I guess right now I'm content that Bugga likes to look at books and likes for me to read to him.

We had planned to do the project at the end of lesson one - building our own model of the solar system out of balloons - but we were foiled three-fold.  First, by my forgotten visiting teaching appointment that I remembered only just in time.  Second, by my fussy baby.  And third, by inaccurate supplies.  Could someone please tell me if there even is such a thing as a balloon tiny enough that you can blow it up to only a 1/2 in. diameter?!  I'm skeptical.

I. AM. EXHAUSTED.  Keeping up with home, homeschool, baby, meals, and church calling today had me running about like a chicken with my head cut off.

But you know what?

Tomorrow

Is

A

New

Day

And HALLELUJAH for that!


Bugga doing the muffin match game from Diane Hopkins' Happy Phonics.

I Heart Faces: Photojournalism

I love pictures that tell a story, so this is one challenge I'm definitely game for! Here's my Bugga striking some "bowling pins" (empty Kefir bottles) with his "bowling ball" (a monster truck).



See more over at I Heart Faces.

Homeschool Day 4: Whirlwind

Today was a whirlwind of action.  Mostly because I slept in.  But I needed that.  The Pipster slept straight through the night and somehow getting more sleep left me feeling more sleepy.  Say what???  I know, it makes no sense, but whatever.  Tapping into one of the true virtues of homeschooling, we dealt with it by starting later.  No biggie.  We got writing and math done, then cleaned up house and took off for the zoo to get our memberships and explore a bit.  We didn't have much time because Buddha had soccer practice at 5pm, so we decided we'd do a "letter of the week" activity and try to find alligators for A.  Well, every reptile on the zoo's map that looked remotely like an alligator turned out to be a crocodile.  Go figure.  So we chalked it up to experience, patted ourselves on the back for giving it our best shot, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing a crocodile using a turtle as a pillow. (I wonder if they even have alligators at the SD Zoo?  Anybody?  Anybody?)



We went home happy, memberships in hand, knowing we'd be back . . . frequently.

Incidentally . . . . Do you know how to tell an alligator from a crocodile?

1. Alligators have U-shaped snouts; Crocodiles have V-shaped.  Just remember A and U come before C and V, respectively.

2. An alligator's upper jaw completely overlaps the lower jaw, so you only see the one row of top teeth.  A crocodile's lower and upper jaws, on the other hand, are closely matched and the teeth interdigitate (a new word I learned while cruising this subject; see what it means, here).

And here's your completely-useless-but-cool-nonetheless random tidbit of the day:

South Florida is the only place in the entire world where alligators and crocodiles cohabitate.  Cool, huh?

How to Disable Right-Click Function on Your Blog

I've had a couple of people ask me how I managed to disable the right-click function on my blog.  Whenever anybody right-clicks on my blog, a notification pops up with a message from me.  It's actually extremely simple to do, but I want to be sure that anyone reading this understands that it is not foolproof.  Anybody who knows javascript can circumvent this little trick, but since that requires more work of any potential photo thieves, cyber weirdos, etc, I figure it's worth the two minutes it takes to do.  So here's how . . . .

Just copy then paste the following code into a new html/javascript gadget.  Change my "var message" (in red) to one of your own to personalize the message for your blog.  You can say whatever you like!  Enjoy!

<script language="JavaScript">
<!--

//Disable right mouse click Script
//By Maximus (maximus@nsimail.com) w/ mods by DynamicDrive
//For full source code, visit http://www.dynamicdrive.com

var message="All images and content belong to The Bagel Factory.  Please respect our privacy and help ensure our children's safety by leaving our content and images right here where they belong.  If you are desperate to use something you see here, please contact Liz first to receive permission.  Thank you!  Your understanding is appreciated.";

///////////////////////////////////
function clickIE4(){
if (event.button==2){
alert(message);
return false;
}
}

function clickNS4(e){
if (document.layers||document.getElementById&&!document.all){
if (e.which==2||e.which==3){
alert(message);
return false;
}
}
}

if (document.layers){
document.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEDOWN);
document.onmousedown=clickNS4;
}
else if (document.all&&!document.getElementById){
document.onmousedown=clickIE4;
}

document.oncontextmenu=new Function("alert(message);return false")

// -->
</script>

Homeschool Day 3: Ahhhhh (good ahhh, not bad ahhh)

Today was perfect. We took it easy. I didn't rush the kids around from subject to subject and project to project. I said to *&$! with the 9am - noon goal that we had previously set and we settled right into a wonderfully relaxed rhythm that embraced the baby, nurtured the wiggly toddler, and delighted the kindergartner sponge. I would almost say we hit our stride, but then it's probably too early to tell and the weekend will probably slaughter any semblance of a groove. :D

We were able to finish the basics (reading, writing, and math) fairly quickly and move on to art because Friday is art/music day here at the Bagel Academy. But before we did, we got a bit sidetracked with pattern blocks. Which turned out to be SO fun. I loved being able to go with the flow and enjoy my children as they revved their imaginations and got creative with the blocks. After we cleaned up that inventive spread, we pulled out our Kefir bottles. There's a story behind these (there's always a story). After Pip was born, he really struggled with digestive issues. He would fuss a lot as food worked its way through his intestines. My sister suggested Kefir and it seemed to help, so The Chief kept me stocked with a steady supply. As the empty bottles piled up, I began to think about how we might be able to get creative with them. After I saw this post at one of my favorite blogs, I knew my bottles had a calling and I knew just what that calling was. So we pulled out the markers, copied Katie's faces (because I'm just not that creative) onto our bottles (Buddha copied a couple with AMAZING accuracy!), cleared away the furniture, and went bowling. It was a riot! And we even managed to make it somewhat educational by turning the bowling pins into letters before we knocked them down.




Bugga [said with a distraught voice]: "Mmmmooooooommmmm! I want my snake to look this this!"

Mom [apologetically]: "Good luck with that, Kiddo."









After bowling we settled down to read the rest of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory together. I promised the boys that if we finished today we would watch the original movie with Gene Wilder. We did and we did. And I realized that I'm not such a fan of that older version. They took liberties with the tale that affected the moral of the story. In the book, Charlie and Grandpa Joe don't EVER disobey Mr. Wonka. In the original movie, however, they gleefully disobey by consuming fizzy lifting drinks and floating around with the bubbles. As a result there is this really disturbing, angry scene with Mr. Wonka at the end of the movie where he's screaming accusations of theft at Charlie and his Grandfather. The whole point of the book was that in the end, Charlie won the secret "contest" because he and his grandfather were entirely respectful and obedient while the other children were dreadful, spoiled, and willfully disobedient. Anyway . . . getting off the soapbox now.

I did LOVE in the book when the Oompa-Loompas sing about Mike Teavee:

"The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never; NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set -
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink -
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK - HE ONLY SEES!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?
How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY . . . USED . . . TO . . . READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
...
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks -
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
And once they start - oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did."

We get to watch the Johnny Depp version just as soon as Netflix delivers it. Does anyone have any objections to this one that I should know about?

Homeschool Day 2: As the Pendulum Swings

I think today we over-corrected.  The only thing we managed to get accomplished today was journal writing and reading.  We were going to go to the zoo, but a late look at the soaring temperatures convinced us to wait until Monday when we're supposed to be back down in the low 70's.  And then we were going to go to the Scholastic Warehouse Sale, but between baby's feedings and baby's sleepings, we didn't make it out of the house until late afternoon.  Buuuut, I'm actually happy about today.  Happier about today than yesterday at any rate.  We were a lot more relaxed.  The boys were a lot happier.  They loved browsing through books at the sale and then diving right in to read our purchases once we arrived home.  In fact, they're still reading.  I need to get them in bed, but hubby isn't home yet so I'm letting them stay up to see their daddy-o.

Guess what?

Tomorrow is a new day!  And I'm still excited to be homeschooling!  Woo-hoo!

P.S. Thanks for any and all advice and encouragement you have given or will give.  This isn't easy, but I'm still convinced it's worth it.

Also, for all ye San Diegans who might read this, this sale is still going on through the 28th, and they have some great stuff! There is a whole section that is 50% off and another that's 20% off. We didn't even venture into the 20% off section and still ended up with three bags full of books. Go here and sign up, print your coupon, and head over there for great savings!

Two Months

Our little Pipilodi (yes, his nickname has evolved yet again) is two months old today! Weighing in at a whopping 14lbs, he's staying true to the Bagel tradition of birthing baby boys who could be bouncers (I ♥ alliteration). :D

Celebrating the two-month anniversary of his birth in style, Pipilo slept for eight and a half hours last night, smashing his previous record of five! It was bliss, I assure you. Now I will pray fervently all day long that it will happen again tonight because after wracking my brains to remember what I did differently, I am pretty certain it was just plain (and blessed) divine intervention. Thank you, Lord.

The Pipster is an avid eater (Every two hours, at least!), a fairly good sleeper (Like last night!), a power pooper (We're talking serious explosions here, people. They startle me even! Still doesn't blow out, though. Hallelujah.), a wanna-be talker (His whole body does the hula as he works his voice up from the depths of his determined, little soul to emit a tiny little coo.), a sensational smiler (He smiles on a dime!  Those rainbow squinty eyes are still my favorites.), and (drum roll please) . . . A THUMBSUCKER! Yes, it's happening again. And I LOVE IT! So all you thumbsucking naysayers can just take your little tales of caution and throw them to the wind. I embraced the last one (who just so happened to wean himself off his thumb at around nine months) and I'm embracing this one, too! Yes, I realize that three years down the road, when my child sucks his thumb while going to the bathroom and has buck teeth, I may be singing a different tune, but until then . . . .

Oh, and did I mention that he loves to stick out his tongue?  Heh heh.  I LOVE the rolls.  Love them.

We love our little Pip.  He sure makes us smile.

Homeschool Day 1: I am a NAG

WHOOSH!

That's me letting out my breath and taking another deep one.  I learned a lot about myself and my children during our first day of homeschooling.  But the lasting impression following our three-hour initiation is that I am a nag.  And by that I do not mean an old, worn-out horse.  I am a nag as defined by The Free Dictionary online: one who annoys by "constant scolding, complaining, or urging."

Here are some of my reactions and thoughts on today:

1. Homeschooling a preschooler while nursing a baby is H-A-R-D hard!  This scenario results in lots of long distance (from the rocking chair) cajoling (nagging) on my part and lots of wandering, climbing, and jumping off of things on his part.

2. Homeschooling isn't homeschooling for my preschooler.  It's recess.  Perpetual recess.  And the desk isn't a desk, it's a jungle gym.  And the pencil isn't a pencil, it's a projectile.  And the books aren't books, they're ramps for projectiles.  Etc, etc, etc.  I think you get the point.

3. Expecting too much from children on a brand new schedule will give you a double hernia.

4. Actually, having ANY expectations when your life changes so drastically from one day to the next will give you a double hernia, a mild myocardial infarction, and a brain aneurysm.  *Though I obviously lived to tell the tale*  (Thank goodness for modern medicine!)  j/k

5. When you describe your first day of homeschooling as "life changing so drastically from one day to the next," you've definitely done something wrong.

6. There has to be a learning curve.  There just has to be.  If not, I think I'll be bald in three weeks.

7. When your preschooler is learning to count numbers with Do-A-Dots, setting up pattern blocks, and playing alphabet games, you can't put a black and white worksheet in front of your kindergartner and expect him to be okay with it.

8. Reading to my kids is my favorite part of homeschooling.  Right now we're cruising through Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

9. Little boys love to dress up as Continental soldiers (see pics below).

10. Tomorrow we're going to the zoo (Update: nevermind, we'll go on Monday when it's supposed to be 20 degrees cooler!).  I've got to recapture the magic and fun of learning and remind myself that I'm dealing with a preschooler and a kindergartner here, for cryin' out loud (neither of which "grades" is mandatory in California); we should be learning through play!!

School pictures. One kindergartner. One preschooler.

Mr. Grumpy Pants

Oh, oh!  We're good now.

Writing in their daily journals.  (Buddha writes, Bugga traces the words he tells me to write.)

Do-A-Dot with numbers!

How.  I am soldier.  Hear me roar.

The Continental soldier hats were part of our lesson on the flag of the United States of America and Betsy Ross.

Bugga decorated Pip's swing with the pom-pom magnets we made.  Lucky Pip.

It's Official

He snorts; therefore, he is a confirmed Bagel.  Oh, and he's just SO TOO CUTE for words.

Here, I'll prove it . . . .





So, what do you think? Color or black and white? It's a draw for me.

I Heart Faces: Beach Fun!

I love the beach! I'm deathly afraid of the ocean, sharks, not being able to see what's under me . . . but I LOVE the beach! :D This is a picture of my two boys playing at the beach one evening. They were racing away from a wave together, but, amid squeals and splashes, it caught them.



Go check out some more "Beach Fun" photos over at I Heart Faces.

My First Award!

Hip, hip hooray!  Someone thinks I'm noteworthy!  It's a miracle, I tell ya!  :D  I have no idea where this particular blog award originates, but it has been awarded me by Jules at Ad Bits, a new friend made through blog hopping.  Thank you much, Jules!

Apparently there are rules that accompany this blog award.  I must now share seven things about myself.  Seven.  Hmmm . . . .

1. I'm a sucker for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and am currently tying up our Netflix account to go through all six seasons.  The Chief just *loves* this.  I wonder how he'll feel when I tell him Little House on the Prairie is next?

2. I have a goal of personally experiencing every type of baby delivery possible.  (Okay, maybe not really . . . but kind of.)  I've already had a c-section, a VBAC, and a home birth.  I'm a little scared to try a natural birth in a hospital, though, so I may just have to be content as is.  I'm too much of a wuss to not beg for an epidural where it's readily available.

3. I like words. I use them.  A lot.  I'm a very wordy person.  See, I even use a lot of words just to share my simple love of words.  Watch out for my blog!  I don't just write posts; I write novels!

4. I've been skydiving twice.  Once with my cousin during my freshman year of college and once with my 70-year-old father-in-law, shortly after marrying my dear hubby.  Serious kudos to the "old man" (and his wife, by the way) who bravely flung himself out of an airplane at 12,000 ft. (I think) to celebrate his birthday in style!

5. I discovered my love of photography just two years ago in 2008, when my lovely brother funded the purchase of my digital baby (a fabulous Nikon D300).  The rest is history.  I'm in love.  I'm in love.  I'm in love.  Every mom should teach herself how to take good pictures so she can professionally photograph her little angels and save herself loads of money spent on the ever-rising, ofttimes outlandish professional photographer fees.

6. I was born in Israel.  Jerusalem, to be exact.

7. I have an irrational fear of sharks.  I live next to the ocean and won't go in more than to my knees.  I hate not being able to see what is underneath me.  I blame it on the movie Jaws that I accidentally saw at a neighbor's house when I was waaaaay to young to watch such a movie.  I was mortified and have been scarred ever since.  It used to be that when I'd swim in pools, I'd start to hear the Jaws "approach" theme in my head and hustle to the edge of the pool to survey the surrounding water.  So sad.  No child should be so ruined.  On a happier note, at least I can swim in a pool unaffected now!

Okay, the other rule accompanying this blog award is that I pass it along to more blogs that I believe are versatile.  This will be easy for me.  I love reading people's blogs and have a few favorites that I visit regularly:

Miriam at Anchor and Bird Blog.  Miriam is a personal friend, a hilarious writer, a fabulous photographer, and a wonderful mother.  I LOVE reading her blog!  She's also very enviably drop-dead gorgeous.  See her and her stunning daughter here.

Amy at My Words.  I don't know Amy, but I wish we were real-life friends.  I stumbled on her blog a long time ago, fell in love with her photography first, and have been reading along ever since.  She is a very thoughtful writer and I often leave her blog feeling uplifted and inspired.  She's an incredibly talented photographer and artist and a very deep thinker.  I love the My Words blog!

Lisa at Raising Future Leaders.  I think Lisa must be the very epitome of "versatile."  She blogs about home births, homeschooling, vaccinations, scrappy stuff, and working from home.  Apart from imparting so much wisdom to the rest of us, Lisa also seems like the happiest person I've ever met on the net!  I am a new follower of Lisa's, but I will definitely be frequenting her happy blog.

And last, but definitely not least, is Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooler.  She is another extremely versatile blogger and what's more, she offers so much of her creativity and knowledge to others FOR FREE!  I love her blog and soak it all in (translate: go download crazy) every time I visit.

Awesome Online Book Site!

Okay, see, this is why blog hops are so cool. At some point in my blog hopping these last few days I came across a review of this awesome book site called We Give Books. It's free to sign up and free to read these books online, and for every book you read, one book is donated to a literacy campaign of your choice (that you select when you sign up). We are supporting United Through Reading a campaign dedicated to getting more books to American military families.

Now, you might be envisioning a dry, black and white PDF or something when I say "read online," but you'd be SO, SO wrong. The books are presented in full color illustration and you even "turn pages." There are phonics readers, and DK exploring nature books, Max and Ruby, and award-winning books. I just can't express how cool it is. You should go try it out yourself. Remember, it's all COMPLETELY FREE, and even better, reading these books with your kids will get books to other kids! Everybody wins!

We've been reading Tinga, Tinga Tales all afternoon and we just read my new favorite children's book, Skippyjon Jones. It might have been a bit over Buddha's head, but I thought it was hilarious! Go read it for yourself; I guarantee that if you're not outright laughing out loud, you'll at least chuckle. :D You can find Skippyjon Jones in the age 4-7 books.

A Sunday Thought

I made this for our fridge today. It's my first time dabbling in digital scrapbooking. Let's just say you won't find huge scrapbooks full of cute pages with all the bells and whistles at my house. :D But I did enjoy using the components of this digital scrapbook kit to make this quote. I think I'll make a few more. I love quotes and having cute versions of them up around the house will be a fun way to constantly remind me of what is most important in life.

This little poem is taken from Diane Hopkins' Happy Homeschooling. There is no author noted, so maybe she is the author? Or it could be anonymous or unknown? At any rate, I found it in her book and loved it.

Blog Hop Saturday!

This is just too fun! I am having a blast checking out all these new blogs and marveling at the wealth of creativity on display on the Internet. It's just amazing! Good thing a new baby is giving me ample time at home right now because it's SO easy to get sucked into blog browsing. Cuddling baby boy while surfing makes me feel a little less guilty about all the time spent here in front of the screen. Come hop along, make new friends, gain new followers, and find droves of inspiration!



Weekend wind down question:

Are you done with your back-to-school shopping, if not what items still need bought?

I'm finito-completo! Now it's on to organizing all these piles of stuff!

Five Question Friday

1. Do you have any nicknames and if so how did it come about?

Yep. I sure do. Lizard, Lili, Lizzie. But my favorite nickname is the one my husband calls me: Mama. I call him Pops and he calls me Mama. I love it.

2. What is your birth order amongst your siblings?

I'm the third of four. I'm the one nobody remembers. :D j/k

3. In a movie of your life, who would play your significant other?

Kenneth Mitchell as Ralph Cox "Coxy" in Miracle. He's so my husband. It's the 'stache. And I hate the 'stache. Love the hubby, but hate the 'stache.

4. What is currently your favorite song?

This one is AWESOME!

5. Are you saving your money for anything right now? Big or small purchase?

We're always saving for some project or other! Right now it's a big one. We want to rip out and redo our entire backyard (Eep!).

Why Homeschool?

This is a difficult question for me to answer succinctly, mostly because there isn't any one single reason why we have chosen to homeschool.  Instead, there are a multitude of reasons, each of which is layered like an onion, which have culminated in our current educational endeavor.  So, I think I'll just sort of list some of my reasons here and then maybe fill them out with explanations, thoughts, and feelings as I find opportunity to.  For the most part, our reasons for homeschooling (though my husband may have different reasons than mine and may prioritize these differently) can be drawn from the various states of being; namely, spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, and social.

My number one reason for homeschooling my children is spiritual.  Since the inception of public education, special interest groups and lobbyists have claimed that God has no business in schools and have worked tirelessly to achieve just such an eradication.  Sadly, they have succeeded.  I firmly believe, therefore, that without the inclusion of God, the Creator of all about which we are learning, my children (His children) have no business in public school.  Above all else, I want the opportunity to imbue my children with the same standards, values, and principles which I hold dear, and I do not see that as possible, practical, or probable should they first be imbued with seven hours of someone else's standards, values, and principles.  Instead of being their primary contact with vital and valuable life lessons, I am left doing damage control.  I am the janitor rather than the teacher.  It leaves me with precious little time to truly magnify my calling as a mother and teacher if I must forgo a significant lesson on service, faith, or the Savior in order to explain why Guess jeans aren't more important than Target jeans or to correct a child who has ignorantly adopted bad language from peers.  Granted these are opportunities to discuss our values as opposed to worldly values, but they leave no room, no time for instruction in "the weightier matters" of life and eternity.  I want to teach about the Creation, not unravel falsehoods gleaned from Godless theories such as evolution and the big bang theory.  I want to teach about abstinence, chastity, and the beauty of purity, not undo the damage of a "health" curriculum that preaches birth control for "safe sex" (rather than abstinence), birth control for STD avoidance (rather than abstinence), masturbation, and homosexual intimacy methods.  It rather disgusts me how far our public schools have strayed from real academic education for the sake of social "education."  I want our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, to be not just a fifteen minute daily part of my children's lives, but an every-minute part of their lives where they grow to see how God's Hand is in every subject they could possibly explore be it academic, professional, or personal.  I have a God-granted stewardship over my children.  They were His first and they are still His most.  How can I do my job as He has pleaded it be done if I am sending them off to someone else to do my job for me; someone who has neither the same level of love for, concern for, or interest in my children?  No one can be more anxious for the success of a child than his own mother, and no one can receive more patience, heavenly guidance/inspiration, and personal revelation for that child than his own mother.

Here are some inspirational quotes which have served to guide me toward the path of home education where my children's spiritual needs are concerned:

"In many places it is literally not safe physically for youngsters to go to school. And in many
schools--and it's becoming almost generally true--it is spiritually unsafe to attend public schools" (Boyd K. Packer, David O. McKay Education Symposium, Oct. 9, 1996) 

"Teaching in the home is becoming increasingly important in today's world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread and he is attacking, attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society, even the family.  Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility.  While other institutions, such as church and school, can assist parents to 'train up a child in the way he [or she] should go' (Proverbs 22:6), ultimately this responsibility rests with parents.  According to the great plan of happiness, it is parents who are entrusted with the care and development of our Heavenly Father's children.  Our families are an integral part of His work and glory - 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' (Moses 1:39).  On God's eternal stage, it is usually intended that parents act as the central cast members in their children's lives.  Fortunately, there are understudies involved in the production who may step in when parents can't.  It, however, is parents who have been commanded by the Lord to bring up their children in light and truth (see D&C 93:40).
...
The health of any society, the happiness of its people, their prosperity, and their peace all find common roots in the teaching of children in the home.
...
While circumstances do vary and the ideal isn't always possible, I believe it is by divine design that the role of motherhood emphasizes the nurturing and teaching of the next generation.  We see so many challenges today from distracting and destructive influences intended to mislead God's children.  We are seeing many young people who lack the deep spiritual roots necessary to remain standing in faith as storms of unbelief and despair swirl around them.  Too many of our Father in Heaven's children are being overcome by worldly desires.  The onslaught of wickedness against our children is at once more subtle and more brazen than it has ever been.  Teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in the home adds another layer of insulation to protect our children from worldly influences." - Elder L. Tom Perry, General Conference Address, Ensign May 2010, pp. 30-31.

"We hold in our arms the rising generation.  They come to this earth with important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities.  We cannot be casual in how we prepare them.  Our challenge as parents and teachers is not to create a spiritual core in their souls but rather to fan the flame of their spiritual core already aglow with the fire of their premortal faith.
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Are the life and teachings of Jesus Christ embedded in the minds and souls of our children?  Do they think about the Savior's life when they wonder what to do in their own lives?  This will be more and more important in the years ahead.
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To fathers and mothers, to grandfathers and grandmothers, and to those without children of their own who lovingly nurture children and youth, my counsel is to speak more frequently about Jesus Christ.  In His holy name is great spiritual power. 'There [is] no other name given nor any other way . . . whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ.'" - Elder Neil L. Andersen, General Conference Address, Ensign May 2010, pp. 108-109.

"We want to pass on our heartfelt values to our precious children.  Isn't this ultimately why we decide to homeschool?  Somehow, we all come to the point of realization that someone else is impressing their values on our priceless children; that we are being robbed of the most important privilege of parenthood.  Our belief in Jesus Christ is our most valuable possession and if, day in and day out, our children are being taught values that counter biblical principles; then there is surely cause for alarm." - Diane Hopkins

"...character is greater than intellect. Goodness is better than smartness. I knew that if we educated [our child] without spiritual principles that we could just make her a clever devil..."
- Reed A. Benson

So, I just wrote all that and then found the following quote which does a magnificent job of summing up my reasons for homeschooling:

"Why do people take or keep their children out of school? Mostly for three reasons: they think that raising their children is their business not the government’s; they enjoy being with their children and watching and helping them learn, and don’t want to give that up to others; they want to keep them from being hurt, mentally, physically, and spiritually." - John Holt

Homeschool Blog Hops

In an effort to get connected and stay connected with the online homeschool movement, I'm posting this list of blogs that host "blog hops" or online mix and mingles.  :D  I love this concept because it is extremely comforting to hear from the many others who have chosen this method of learning for their children, especially those who are old hats at homeschooling, they are the steady pillars that we newbies like to cling to, quote, and steal ideas from.  So, in the event that this list helps anyone else out there . . . . happy hopping, friends!

Note: If I come across any more, I'll just add them here. Check back often!




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