Outside my window… The grass looks a bit long, glad the lawn guys are coming tomorrow! It’s sunny, hot  and It seems rather still out there today.

I am thinking… About the random dreams I had last night (or actually this morning). They were so detailed and real life like, it tends to blur the line of reality! One of them was that I was looking to buy a Dodge Charger. I know they are a newer car but in my dream I found one that was about 5+ years old. It was orange and the man selling it reminded me of my dad. He wanted $5,000 for it and it was orange. I wasn’t digging on the orange so much.I looked at the miles and it seemed to have 121,000 miles on it. I said no problem, I’ll offer you $4,000 since the miles were so high and since I would have to get the car painted. He said “deal” and we shook on it. Next thing I know Jim and I are at a shop where they paint cars.. They had this rickety conveyor belt with an automated painting system that was about 100 or more feet up in the air. A van was on the belt and it almost fell, so that made me rethink. Jim talked to the owners and he talked them into doing mine by hand. In the end I had a great looking black Dodge Charger.. And it only cost me about $4,500, including the paint job.. Now that’s random at it’s best! Although I am fond of those cars

I am thankful for… Our central air. It has been such a HOT July, the air has been running almost constantly. So much so that my electric bill has more than doubled this month! It gets so hot upstairs so it’s nice to have it run at night to cool it down. I have a really hard time falling asleep if it’s too hot. Now don’t I sound spoiled?

From the learning room… Ah yes.. Ally had May and June off so we are back at it (almost) full swing. Our favorite thing right now is the Narnia series. We are on chapter 10 of the Magician’s Nephew. It is so good!! Each chapter leaves you hanging and wanting more. Also today we will be finishing a book called Boy of the Pyramids. It ties in so nicely with our Ancient Egypt studies. It is the definition of a “living book”.

From the kitchen… Today I am making breakfast for dinner. French toast, bacon and various cut up fruit. Yummy!

I am wearing… A plain black skirt and black tank top

I am creating… A photography portfolio and a business plan. It’s certainly in it’s baby stage but you’ve got to start somewhere!

I am going… To NY in September for a few days.

I am reading… Well I pretty much covered this one above but I am reading a United States history book that was written in 1907. I’m previewing it to see if I want to use it with Ally. So far so good.. I am also reading Understanding Exposure, which has taught me a lot about (what else?) exposure.

I am hoping… To gather up enough nerve to join Karate with Ally. She really inspired me today

I am hearing… The sweet sounds of Jack Johnson and Jim on the phone in the basement.

Around the house… Revamping my office. I bought a nice desk off of craigslist.org so the whole office is getting an overhaul. This desk holds a lot more and gets rid of the clutter. I can now have a professional home office and maybe even a mini studio. I got big plans! First I need to tackle this big stack of papers!

One of my favorite things… Right now is red lipstick.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Karate tomorrow night, swimming lessons every weekday morning, Memberfest at the Zoo on Saturday as well a picnic for Jim’s work and campaigning before the primary.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

Xander, my nephew (Photo taken by me)

I did get my camera, and it’s amazing. I’m still learning all of the bells and whistles but seem to get better and better each time I practice. I am well aware that it will be a continual learning process. There is just something about capturing moments in time that makes my heart sing. With in the next year, I would like to start-up a small photography business.. I’ll keep you posted on how that’s going.

Tattoo cover-up

I got my tattoo covered up, and I am thrilled! Now it’s a colorful Iris. I really had grown to hate what was underneath, so much so that I wont even post a before shot. Tattoos are great, but I highly recommend not getting any until you are at least in your mid 20s. I got the majority of mine when I was still a teenager and there are a couple I would not have gotten had I waited a few years. However each of them represent a time of my life and have a story to tell. All except the one I got covered, of course!

May 22nd we had our wedding celebration. We were married on September 25th, 2009 at the Saint Clair Shores (MI) court-house and didn’t have a reception. We were fine with that but Jim’s dad wanted to through us a party. We agreed and the planning kinda turned out to be a nightmare… Without getting into all that, in the end it turned out great and we felt blessed that (almost) everyone we love was there. It was a great night.

Glacier Bay

We went on our honeymoon the Monday after the celebration. That was amazing and one day I will write-up a whole post about it. We stayed in Seattle, WA for 4 nights then we embarked on a 7 day Alaskan Cruise. Jim and I have so much fun together. I am so thankful for such a wonderful husband.

Ally had about two months off of school so now we are back in (pretty much) full swing. We both are still loving homeschooling. She is such a good girl, she sits at the table with me all day and enjoys it just as much as I do. Best decision EVER. She is still in karate and just started swimming lessons this week. We keep busy with various field trips and activities. Life seems so busy but so joyful.

I really don’t mean to gush but if I could sum up my last year in three words I would say life is good! I appreciate every second of it (even if I do pinch myself from time to time).

Outside my window… Spring, Spring, Spring! It’s almost 70°!! I see little green points pushing up out of the earth, soaking up the sun and warmth… I see our birdhouse which has been claimed already for the season.. I also see my shed that desperately needs painting :Þ

I am thinking… That I wish I didn’t have a headache today. Nothing spoils yard work on a beautiful day like a headache. 

I am thankful for… My cats.. (LoL) They drive me crazy with the cat hair but they do bring in an element of comfort and hilariousness to our home.

From the learning room… Cacti (The Saguaro Cactus that lives in the North American Sonoran desert to be precise) is what stands out most from today. We are learning about seeds/plants and we read the book Cactus Hotel. Awesome book.

From the kitchen... My famous (drum roll) Chicken & Peppers! Everyone I’ve ever made this for loves it. It’s so easy peasy.. All it takes is Chicken (at least a pound), Green Peppers (2 or 3), Onion (1), fresh lemon juice (or bottled if that’s all you have on hand), Olive or Canola Oil, Salt and Pepper… Sometimes I add garlic when the mood strikes.

Cook up your chicken in a decent size frying pan with the onion, oil, salt and pepper. give it a sprinkle of lemon juice. Add the peppers, cook them to your liking and sprinkle lemon juice a few more times. And there you have it. I usually serve with brown rice and a cucumber salad.

I am wearing… Jim’s PJ pants and a black tank top.

I am creating… A file folder that contains the best pictures I’ve ever taken.

I am going… To buy a professional camera this week. The Canon 7D. I’ve been drawn to photography all my life, so I am going to dive in and see what I can do with it. I have much to learn but I can’t wait to practice!

I am reading… How to photograph absolutely everything by DK and a users guide to the 7D

I am hoping… to get an old tattoo (Egyptian symbol) covered up and transformed into something else (a flower) this weekend or next week.

I am hearing… Birds outside, Caspie (one of our cats) vying for my attention and the sounds of the expressway that we live by..

Around the house… All my laundry is done! woot! The house is spotless (per usual) and I worked on the back yard for a while today.

One of my favorite things… Vita tops. These things are amazing. I am on Weight Watchers and these Vita Tops (muffin tops that have vitamins and fiber in them) are only 1 point.. They have all kinds of flavors, even chocolate!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Ally has art class this week, tomorrow actually. She is spending the night with her Grandpa (my Dad) on Thursday, and Ally turns 9 this weekend!! I don’t have any plans for myself.. I’m a homebody and I ♥ it.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

Patience

Outside my window…

I am thinking… That I love this time of year. I can’t wait to start on our yard work. Planting flowers and putting together our first garden. Neither of us have had our own backyard before, so this is a special treat.

Our wedding reception/celebration is coming up in May, this has been on my mind quite a bit. Honeymoon! We are in the planning stages (still) of our honeymoon and we can not figure out where we want to go!

I am thankful for… Everything. Yes, I know that’s broad but I’m serious. My life has been so blessed the past two years, I am very thankful in every aspect of my life. Everyday I sit and think “wow”.

From the learning room… Today was a great school day. We started super early and got tons accomplished. My favorite thing we are doing right now is an Aesop lap book which can be downloaded here for free.

From the kitchen… Tonight is homemade mac and cheese. I’m all kinds of excited because I bought individual ramekins and I’m using them for the first time.

I am wearing… Black hoodie with Jim’s black work out pants that I took from him & slippers

I am creating… My list of people to invite to our reception/celebration and our itinerary for our weekend trip to Frankenmuth in April

I am going… I am taking Ally to gymnastics in the afternoon and Karate in the evening tomorrow

I am reading… The Secret Garden – Ally and I are almost finished! I forgot how great this book was!

I am hoping… That Bob George from People to People ministries recovers from his stroke and is able to re-learn to talk soon, I feel really sad for his situation.

I am hearing… The great works of J.S. Bach and Ally doing something in the sink.. I hear water LoL

Around the house… I really have to organize my office space, I have too many piles of papers that need to be filed… I have a desk somewhere!

One of my favorite things… Snuggling with my husband when he gets home from work, that’s an all time favorite!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Meeting with our photographer tomorrow. My sister Jennifer is coming over with my nephew tomorrow to watch Ally in Karate then she is taking Ally for the night. Jim’s got a few plans Thursday and Saturday. I would love to work in the yard if weather permits.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

Since my 2008 campaign for the presidency I have often been asked, “How would a constitutionalist president go about dismantling the welfare-warfare state and restoring a constitutional republic?” This is a very important question, because without a clear road map and set of priorities, such a president runs the risk of having his pro-freedom agenda stymied by the various vested interests that benefit from big government.

Of course, just as the welfare-warfare state was not constructed in 100 days, it could not be dismantled in the first 100 days of any presidency. While our goal is to reduce the size of the state as quickly as possible, we should always make sure our immediate proposals minimize social disruption and human suffering. Thus, we should not seek to abolish the social safety net overnight because that would harm those who have grown dependent on government-provided welfare. Instead, we would want to give individuals who have come to rely on the state time to prepare for the day when responsibility for providing aide is returned to those organizations best able to administer compassionate and effective help – churches and private charities.

Now, this need for a transition period does not apply to all types of welfare. For example, I would have no problem defunding corporate welfare programs, such as the Export-Import Bank or the TARP bank bailouts, right away. I find it difficult to muster much sympathy for the CEO’s of Lockheed Martin and Goldman Sachs.

No matter what the president wants to do, most major changes in government programs would require legislation to be passed by Congress. Obviously, the election of a constitutionalist president would signal that our ideas had been accepted by a majority of the American public and would probably lead to the election of several pro-freedom congressmen and senators. Furthermore, some senators and representatives would become “born again” constitutionalists out of a sense of self-preservation. Yet there would still be a fair number of politicians who would try to obstruct our freedom agenda. Thus, even if a president wanted to eliminate every unconstitutional program in one fell swoop, he would be very unlikely to obtain the necessary support in Congress.

Yet a pro-freedom president and his legislative allies could make tremendous progress simply by changing the terms of the negotiations that go on in Washington regarding the size and scope of government. Today, negotiations over legislation tend to occur between those who want a 100 percent increase in federal spending and those who want a 50 percent increase. Their compromise is a 75 percent increase. With a president serious about following the Constitution, backed by a substantial block of sympathetic representatives in Congress, negotiations on outlays would be between those who want to keep funding the government programs and those who want to eliminate them outright – thus a compromise would be a 50 percent decrease in spending!

While a president who strictly adheres to the Constitution would need the consent of Congress for very large changes in the size of government, such as shutting down cabinet departments, he could use his constitutional authority as head of the executive branch and as commander in chief to take several significant steps toward liberty on his own. The area where the modern chief executive has greatest ability to act unilaterally is in foreign affairs. Unfortunately, Congress has abdicated its constitutional authority to declare wars, instead passing vague “authorization of force” bills that allow the president to send any number of troops to almost any part of the world. The legislature does not even effectively use its power of the purse to rein in the executive. Instead, Congress serves as little more than a rubber stamp for the president’s requests.

If the president has the power to order U.S. forces into combat on nothing more than his own say-so, then it stands to reason he can order troops home. Therefore, on the first day in office, a constitutionalist can begin the orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq and Afghanistan. He can also begin withdrawing troops from other areas of the world. The United States has over 300,000 troops stationed in more than 146 countries. Most if not all of these deployments bear little or no relationship to preserving the safety of the American people. For example, over 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the U.S. still maintains troops in Germany.

Domestically, the president can use his authority to set policies and procedures for the federal bureaucracy to restore respect for the Constitution and individual liberty. For example, today manufacturers of dietary supplements are subject to prosecution by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if they make even truthful statements about the health benefits of their products without going through the costly and time-consuming procedures required to gain government approval for their claims. A president can put an end to this simply by ordering the FDA and FTC not to pursue these types of cases unless they have clear evidence that the manufacturer’s clams are not true. Similarly, the president could order the bureaucracy to stop prosecuting consumers who wish to sell raw milk across state lines.

A crucial policy that a president could enact to bring speedy improvements to government is ordering the bureaucracy to respect the 10th Amendment and refrain from undermining state laws. We have already seen a little renewed federalism with the current administration’s policy of not prosecuting marijuana users when their use of the drug is consistent with state medical-marijuana laws. A constitutionalist administration would also defer to state laws refusing compliance with the REAL ID act and denying federal authority over interstate gun transactions. None of these actions repeals a federal law; they all simply recognize a state’s primary authority, as protected by the 10th amendment, to set policy in these areas.

In fact, none of the measures I have discussed so far involves repealing any written law. They can be accomplished simply by a president exercising his legitimate authority to set priorities for the executive branch. And another important step he can take toward restoring the balance of powers the Founders intended is repealing unconstitutional executive orders issued by his predecessors.

Executive orders are a useful management tool for the president, who must exercise control over the enormous federal bureaucracy. However, in recent years executive orders have been used by presidents to create new federal laws without the consent of Congress. As President Clinton’s adviser Paul Begala infamously said, “stroke of the pen, law of the land, pretty cool.” No, it is not “pretty cool,” and a conscientious president could go a long way toward getting us back to the Constitution’s division of powers by ordering his counsel or attorney general to comb through recent executive orders so the president can annul those that exceed the authority of his office. If the President believed a particular Executive Order made a valid change in the law, then he should work with Congress to pass legislation making that change.

Only Congress can directly abolish government departments, but the president could use his managerial powers to shrink the federal bureaucracy by refusing to fill vacancies created by retirements or resignations. This would dramatically reduce the number of federal officials wasting our money and taking our liberties. One test to determine if a vacant job needs to be filled is the “essential employees test.” Whenever D.C. has a severe snowstorm, the federal government orders all “non-essential” federal personal to stay home. If someone is classified as non-essential for snow-day purposes, the country can probably survive if that position is not filled when the jobholder quits or retires. A constitutionalist president should make every day in D.C. like a snow day!

A president could also enhance the liberties and security of the American people by ordering federal agencies to stop snooping on citizens when there is no evidence that those who are being spied on have committed a crime. Instead, the president should order agencies to refocus on the legitimate responsibilities of the federal government, such as border security. He should also order the Transportation Security Administration to stop strip-searching grandmothers and putting toddlers on the no-fly list. The way to keep Americans safe is to focus on real threats and ensure that someone whose own father warns U.S. officials he’s a potential terrorist is not allowed to board a Christmas Eve flight to Detroit with a one-way ticket.

Perhaps the most efficient step a president could take to enhance travel security is to remove the federal roadblocks that have frustrated attempts to arm pilots. Congress created provisions to do just that in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. However, the processes for getting a federal firearms license are extremely cumbersome, and as a result very few pilots have gotten their licenses. A constitutionalist in the Oval Office would want to revise those regulations to make it as easy as possible for pilots to get approval to carry firearms on their planes.

While the president can do a great deal on his own, to really restore the Constitution and cut back on the vast unconstitutional programs that have sunk roots in Washington over 60 years, he will have to work with Congress. The first step in enacting a pro-freedom legislative agenda is the submission of a budget that outlines the priorities of the administration. While it has no legal effect, the budget serves as a guideline for the congressional appropriations process.

A constitutionalist president’s budget should do the following:
Reduce overall federal spending
Prioritize cuts in oversize expenditures, especially the military
Prioritize cuts in corporate welfare
Use 50 percent of the savings from cuts in overseas spending to shore up entitlement programs for those who are dependent on them and the other 50 percent to pay down the debt
Provide for reduction in federal bureaucracy and lay out a plan to return responsibility for education to the states
Begin transitioning entitlement programs from a system where all Americans are forced to participate into one where taxpayers can opt out of the programs and make their own provisions for retirement and medical care

If Congress failed to produce a budget that was balanced and moved the country in a pro-liberty direction, a constitutionalist president should veto the bill. Of course, vetoing the budget risks a government shutdown. But a serious constitutionalist cannot be deterred by cries of “it’s irresponsible to shut down the government!” Instead, he should simply say, “I offered a reasonable compromise, which was to gradually reduce spending, and Congress rejected it, instead choosing the extreme path of continuing to jeopardize America’s freedom and prosperity by refusing to tame the welfare-warfare state. I am the moderate; those who believe that America can afford this bloated government are the extremists.”

Unconstitutional government spending, after all, is doubly an evil: it not only means picking the taxpayer’s pocket, it also means subverting the system of limited and divided government that the Founders created. Just look at how federal spending has corrupted American education.

Eliminating federal involvement in K–12 education should be among a constitutionalist president’s top domestic priorities. The Constitution makes no provision for federal meddling in education. It is hard to think of a function less suited to a centralized, bureaucratic approach than education. The very idea that a group of legislators and bureaucrats in D.C. can design a curriculum capable of meeting the needs of every American schoolchild is ludicrous. The deteriorating performance of our schools as federal control over the classroom has grown shows the folly of giving Washington more power over American education. President Bush’s No Child Left Behind law claimed it would fix education by making public schools “accountable.” However, supporters of the law failed to realize that making schools more accountable to federal agencies, instead of to parents, was just perpetuating the problem.

In the years since No Child Left Behind was passed, I don’t think I have talked to any parent or teacher who is happy with the law. Therefore, a constitutionalist president looking for ways to improve the lives of children should demand that Congress cut the federal education bureaucracy as a down payment on eventually returning 100 percent of the education dollar to parents.

Traditionally, the battle to reduce the federal role in education has been the toughest one faced by limited-government advocates, as supporters of centralized education have managed to paint constitutionalists as “anti-education.” But who is really anti-education? Those who wish to continue to waste taxpayer money on failed national schemes, or those who want to restore control over education to the local level? When the debate is framed this way, I have no doubt the side of liberty will win. When you think about it, the argument that the federal government needs to control education is incredibly insulting to the American people, for it implies that the people are too stupid or uncaring to educate their children properly. Contrary to those who believe that only the federal government can ensure children’s education, I predict a renaissance in education when parents are put back in charge.

The classroom is not the only place the federal government does not belong. We also need to reverse the nationalization of local police. Federal grants have encouraged the militarization of law enforcement, which has led to great damage to civil liberties. Like education, law enforcement is inherently a local function, and ending programs such as the Byrne Grants is essential not just to reducing federal spending but also to restoring Americans’ rights.

Obviously, a president concerned with restoring constitutional government and fiscal responsibility would need to address the unstable entitlement situation, possibly the one area of government activity even more difficult to address than education. Yet it is simply unfair to continue to force young people to participate in a compulsory retirement program when they could do a much better job of preparing for their own retirements. What is more, the government cannot afford the long-term expenses of entitlements, even if we were to reduce all other unconstitutional foreign and domestic programs.
As I mentioned in the introduction to this article, it would be wrong simply to cut these programs and throw those who are dependent on them “into the streets.” After all, the current recipients of these programs have come to rely on them, and many are in a situation where they cannot provide for themselves without government assistance. The thought of people losing the ability to obtain necessities for them because they were misled into depending on a government safety net that has been yanked away from them should trouble all of us. However, the simple fact is that if the government does not stop spending money on welfare and warfare, America may soon face an economic crisis that could lead to people being thrown into the street.

Therefore, a transition away from the existing entitlement scheme is needed. This is why a constitutionalist president should propose devoting half of the savings from the cuts in wars and other foreign spending, corporate welfare, and unnecessary and unconstitutional bureaucracies to shoring up Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid and providing enough money to finance government’s obligations to those who are already stuck in the system and cannot make alternative provisions. This re-routing of spending would allow payroll taxes to be slashed. The eventual goal would be to move to a completely voluntary system where people only pay payroll taxes into Social Security and Medicare if they choose to participate in those programs. Americans who do not want to participate would be free not to do so, but they would forgo any claim to Social Security or Medicare benefits after retirement.

Some people raise concerns that talk of transitions is an excuse for indefinitely putting off the end of the welfare state. I understand those concerns, which is why a transition plan must lay out a clear timetable for paying down the debt, eliminating unconstitutional bureaucracies, and setting a firm date for when young people can at last opt out of the entitlement programs.

A final area that should be front and center in a constitutionalist’s agenda is monetary policy. The Founders obviously did not intend for the president to have much influence over the nation’s money – in fact, they never intended any part of the federal government to operate monetary policy as it defined now. However, today a president could play an important role in restoring stability to monetary policy and the value of the dollar. To start, by fighting for serious reductions in spending, a constitutionalist administration would remove one of the major justifications for the Federal Reserve’s inflationary policies, the need to monetize government debt.

There are additional steps a pro-freedom president should pursue in his first term to restore sound monetary policy. He should ask Congress to pass two pieces of legislation I have introduced in the 110th Congress. The first is the Audit the Fed bill, which would allow the American people to learn just how the Federal Reserve has been conducting monetary policy. The other is the Free Competition in Currency Act, which repeals legal tender laws and all taxes on gold and silver. This would introduce competition in currency and put a check on the Federal Reserve by ensuring that people have alternatives to government-produced fiat money.

All of these measures will take a lot of work – a lot more than any one person, even the president of the United States, can accomplish by himself. In order to restore the country to the kind of government the Founders meant for us to have, a constitutionalist president would need the support of an active liberty movement. Freedom activists must be ready to pressure wavering legislators to stand up to the special interests and stay the course toward freedom. Thus, when the day comes when someone who shares our beliefs sits in the Oval Office, groups like Young Americans for Liberty and Campaign for Liberty will still have a vital role to play. No matter how many pro-freedom politicians we elect to office, the only way to guarantee constitutional government is through an educated and activist public devoted to the ideals of the liberty.

For that reason, the work of Young Americans for Liberty in introducing young people to the freedom philosophy and getting them involved in the freedom movement is vital to the future of our country. I thank all the members and supporters of YAL for their dedication to changing the political debate in this country, so that in the not-too-distant future we actually will have a president and a Congress debating the best ways to shrink the welfare-warfare state and restore the republic.

This essay originally appeared in Young American Revolution, the magazine of Young Americans for Liberty.

by Ron Paul

How could this be??

The past couple weeks we’ve had some good times. I had a family party with my Dad, siblings, niece and nephews. I made dinner and we all got a really nice chance to visit (we are all still trying to cope with the loss of Diana). We visited my Cousin and met his girlfriend for the first time. Ally had a “Dog Sled Field Trip”. She learned about the Iditarod dog sled race and dog sledding in general. We also got to meet some really beautiful dogs. Jim’s Dad and step mom came over and we talked about our wedding reception.. They are throwing us a celebration in May. The videographer was over too and we got our invitations that were put together by one of Jim’s good friends. Planning is somewhat slow going but we’ll pull it together. This past Tuesday Ally went to homeschool rollerskating and today we had Enrich. We had Karate in between and she started “sparring” (“fighting” using her techniques) this week. It’s great to watch her put to use what she has learned. I like that she is learning to defend herself.

School is going good, not too much to report as of now. Soon we are getting into Ancient Egypt and I am really looking forward to that. We have some really great living books that I can’t wait to get into!

Yes, I’m still on Weight Watchers. This is my 5th week. I have so far lost about 5lbs It’s going really good!

• Spelling (Dictation) – I went with Spelling Wisdom. I really like the way it is set up. It’s not random words that she gets but a meaningful passage. Here is an example: “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be” which is a quote by Abraham Lincoln. She has to be able to spell all the words in order as well as use correct capitalization and punctuation. It gets tougher and the passages get longer as she progresses. I give her a lesson, she practices and when she is ready she gives it back to me. I then read it out loud once and she is to write it out correctly. So not only is it a spelling program but it also plants the seeds of grammar and dictation. Not to mention the handwriting (printing) practice. When there are words she is unfamiliar with, I have her highlight them and then look up the definition in her dictionary. Then she writes the definitions out on her lesson sheet. This has worked out wonderfully so far.
• Grammar – It is said that a soft introduction is best at this age because the child’s brain has trouble wrapping around the abstract concept until around age 10. Therefore I chose English for the Thoughtful Child volume one. This book is absolutely lovely. The lessons touch on various subjects and incorporate a few Charlotte Mason methods (narration, picture study..) and yet teaches the basics of grammar. It’s not a workbook that you can give the kids on their own, you really should be an active participant.
• Copy work – In addition to her spelling and grammar, I give her copy work a few times a week. Basically a quote, poem or scripture verse that she has to take her time and copy with her best handwriting (printing).
• Literature – Right now we are reading The Secret Garden, which is inspiring us to make our own garden come spring. Next up is the Narnia series. One of the highlights of our day is to light a fire in the fireplace, snuggle up and read a great book.
• Poetry - I have not incorporated this yet but I plan to starting on Monday. Our first poet will be Christina Rossetti. Once or twice a week we will read/study one of her poems. This will include letting Ally use it for copy work. We will study her for about six weeks then move on to another poet.
• Scripture Memory – We are using this system and we really like it.
• Bible/History/Geography – The SCM website offers a great curriculum that combines the three. Right now we are using Genesis through Deuteronomy and Ancient Egypt . They are short lessons which hold her attention and make an impact. Less is sometimes more. This coupled with LOTS of living books.
• Book of Centuries – This is so cool. It’s a big binder with card stock labeled with dates up until present times. Each two page spread is 100 years in time. This is where we record (with names, pictures, quotes) important events that have taken place in history. This is something Ally will work on until she graduates. Then she will have it the rest of her life to look back on. You can download a free template here.
• Civics – This is something that I am still putting together. I have not found any prepackaged curriculum that I am fond of so I am putting it together myself. I will start her with “Our Neighborhood” and go from there. I want to have her come to city council meetings with Jim and I on a regular basis. She has been to a few in the past.
• Math – We are using Mastering Mathematics. This was Ally’s worst subject in public school. Every night was a struggle to get through one or two pages of busywork homework. Her math level isn’t very high at this point unfortunately. I never liked the ways the PS taught math. Ally never seemed to have the chance to grasp something before they moved onto a completely different concept. This is where Mastering Mathematics comes in. It is an immersion style teaching. Ally will only learn addition until she masters it. It came with games and flash cards and blank worksheets to work with her on time, money and whatnot. It then moves on to Subtraction, multiplication, division and so on.. Each in their own workbook. We really enjoy the program so far!
• Science – Again this is available from the SCM website, we are using 106 days of creation studies. This is such a neat curriculum. First it teaches about the 6 (7) days of creation, then you learn about the various things made in each day. Right now we are in Day two, learning about the atmosphere, air pressure, wind, clouds, water, the water cycle and weather. There are experiments almost everyday and she keeps a notebook and draws diagrams of our various experiments. It lightly touches (introduces) many science subjects. Next year we will be using Apologia Science.
• Nature Study – She has a nature notebook which she draws (sketches) things of nature. Lately, she has drawn things that correlate with our science studies (i.e clouds, a river) that she observes in life. In the spring I intend to take her to the park once a week for a few hours for more in-depth nature studies. Charlotte Mason thought it to be very important that children spend many hours out-of-doors, as do I. We have a backpack filled with field guides, bug jars, magnifying glasses, binoculars etc… I am looking forward to exploring the woods with her.
• Personal Development – This year we are reading Wisdom and the Millers. Life lessons that every child should know, character and virtue building. I have Ally read a chapter out loud every two weeks or so. Also, I’m teaching her here and there to cook, bake and showing her the proper way to clean and how to organize.
• Picture Study – One famous Artist every 12 weeks. Right now we are learning about Rembrandt. Letting her discover art appreciation and learning a little bit about the artists themselves. Various art projects that go along with the particular artists style.
• Art – Ally is in a local Christian Art class for three hours once a month. She really enjoys it and I see her gaining art skills from it.
• Music Study – One famous composer about every 6 weeks. We are wrapping up on Bach. We listen to their most famous works and read a short biography. I also have her write a bit about what the music makes her feel or think of. I want to get her into some voice classes or piano lessons soon.

There you have it. This is what we are working with this year. It may not work for everyone but it works for us! She is also in Karate twice a week and we have field trips and play dates with our local homeschool group on a regular basis. Ally and I both are so happy with homeschooling. It is so much fun and I’m getting to spend so much quality time with her. They grow so fast and I will be proud to look back on these cherished days. ♥

Two fat little squirrels, chasing each other ’round and ’round our big tree in the back yard. It was quite a scene until..

One of them laid eyes on the new bird feeder…

The squirrel proof bird feeder…

Persistent little fella, he was..

Sure did keep us glued to the window…

This went on for well over 10 minutes.

Alas, he finally gave up and scampered off..

Nature study for Thursday: Check.

“The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days.”                                          – Charlotte Mason