Our day with the goats…. in pictures!

 

 Well, thanks to an AMAZING gift from a friend, I have my comp back after it’s crash. I have actually had it back for quite awhile but didn’t have a way to hook it to the internet down here in the basement. We got that problem solved, camera software on, a new USB cord for the camera (mine got packed away on accident), and everything set up so that I can now put pics on my blog! My blog has seemed so boring without them. I have to admit that, with the stress we’ve been under lately, I have lost my passion for photography and photoshopping, and just life in general. I am hoping to get back into it with a little perseverance.  Here is my first attempts…….

OUR DAY WITH THE GOATS! :O)

This little guy captured my heart with his unique coloring and sweet disposition. Unfortunately he is, well, a he so wouldn’t do us much good. Isn’t he adorable!?!?!

 

This little one is an example of the “so cute I’m not sure it should be legal!”

Here is what we saw of J most of the time we were there….. always in the thick of it! She also held them. There was one little she goat in particular (the little silvery one right next to here) that followed her around like a puppy and that she held for a LONG time…. They were adorable together but I decided that this pic would be best for todays entry. :o)

 

This is B’s first attempts at being brave. She did so great and really conquered her fears of them. She even held one for quite awhile! I was sooooo proud of her!

And here, last but not least, is my little man trying to pick one of the babies up. Daddy ended up helping him and together they held it. It was so sweet! 

I forgot to get any pics of me so you will just have to believe that I was behind the camera :o) Hubby was there too and I got some great pics of him but forgot to ask him if he wanted to be on my blog :o).  He is so good with animals and I really hope that someday we can have enough land to get some for him!

A Glass House Versus a Window

 Now, I am sure the following thoughts will be of little consequence to my readers but, as I am sure I have mentioned before :o), it helps me to think things through if I type them out here...... Anyhow, this is a continuation of my posts on balance in blogging.  I was wondering the other day what it was about my blog that makes me think it unbalanced and/or in need of change. Is it just that my blogging has changed?  As time passes it is inevitable (or at least I hope it is :o) that I will grow and change and my blog will reflect this, so I don't think it is that. I think that it boils down to what I like in blogs..... My favorite blogs are those that are windows into other peoples lives. I love to hear about day to day happenings, the blogger's thoughts, beliefs, concerns and joys. For awhile I read a blog and the owner of the blog made mention of the fact that her blog was like a glass house...... You could see a most of their lives.  Now I am sure there were things that didn't make it on that blog but after awhile it got overwhelming, your couldn't keep up with all of the different posts she had every day and it was just too much, so intimate it seemed awkward. There are other blogs that are more like peep holes are cracks in the wall. They share so little that they seem strangers and the blog feels unbalanced, even if you know them IRL.  What I really like is a balanced view of the lives of the blogger. I want to get to know the person better through their writings. I find those that continuously allude to veiled parts of their lives annoying. I realize that sometimes it is necessary and don't mind that, it is just when it is continuous.....   I do not want to give you the impression that I psychoanalyze every blog that I read, that I am judging every blog by these standards, because I don't. I am merely stating what my favorite style is. There are some blogs that I read and appreciate very much because of how easy it is to find info there when they only blog about 1 subject....... recipes for instance. My blog does not measure up to this standard and I think that is why I am mulling over the balance issue. I don't want a glass house or a crack in the wall, I really just want a window for you to get to know the real me. I know there are things that I am hiding for ridiculous reasons....... I know there are things that I over share about, I know that I have not found balance. Maybe by identifying what I want I will be able to achieve it.......

  Now that you are all bored or frightened of me :o) I will tell you that potty training is still going well..... I have joined FB incognito and am keeping it small til I figure it out :o)  I told you I would have to confess! :oP  and we got to go to a friends and see their 11 baby goats yesterday! I want goats!!! They are so cute I am not sure it should be legal...... I will try to post pics of our visit. I was so proud of B cuz she was very brave for her. They all held the babies and loved on them and would have moved into the barn with them if I had allowed. It was great fun!  Well, I am off to switch out the laundry.......

B

Making Progress.......

Much to my excitement, my little man has made HUGE progress this week in the potty training arena. Since the first part of the week he has only had 2 accidents!  He is wearing "Big Boy panties" (we've tried calling it underwear but he is insistent that they are panties :o) and even wears them when outside playing. Chocolate incentives have played a huge part in this but we have tried that before so he must just be ready!  I am so excited that he is FINALLY making this step, I was beginning to worry that he never would. He is so proud of himself too.

  I am one HAPPY Momma!  :o)

Balance

 Recently I was reading this post and was struck by one of the topics at the conference it was referring to. The topic was Blogging Authentically - Balancing Honesty with Discernment I just about signed up for the conference right then! jk! Seriously though, balance is not something that we humans seem very capable of achieving. When I blog I really struggle to know what I should blog about and what would be too much, where I want to draw my lines of privacy.  I think that this has been more of a struggle for me the harder life has gotten. Part of me wants to share what we are going through, how we see God working, what we are learning, etc...... The other part of me feels the need to keep it all private, to protect myself from what others may think or say about me/us....... Thus I feel that there has been a change in my blogging....... Maybe no one but myself has or will notice, but I feel like my pendulum has swung to the side of hiding most things where in the beginning I think I was on the side of sharing too much.  Maybe someday my pendulum will center.

More on math....

 Well, I have had a "Thunderbolt Moment" regarding math. I will share that in a bit but first I want to share a little of what I have learned in my research (not that any of you care to know but I will remember better if I write it out :o). My research indicates that there are 2 primary methods/types of math curriculum available. There is the Spiral method and the (forgive me here I can't remember exactly what it is called) Mastery method.  When the Spiral method introduces new math concepts it only has the student practice a few of the new problem at a time, actually of any of any given type of problem at a time. For instance, if the new concept is carrying then the student is given maybe 6 of these problems to practice. The rest of the page is filled with various problems the child has learned in the past and there is never more than about 10 problems of each. With the Mastery method a child is given a new concept and given many problems of the same type. There is little repetition of  old concepts. Each method has it's "selling points". The Spiral method, which is found in ABeka, Horizons, etc....., is loved for it's emphasis on review so that the child doesn't forget and for the reason that kids are less likely to get frustrated and bored because there is so much variety on each page. The Mastery method, which is found in Saxon, Singapore, etc....., is loved for it's emphasis on making sure the child masters each new concept before moving on.  They often have reviews every so many weeks to make sure the student still remembers the mastered skills.  There are many variations in each group some of which are  heavy on manipulatives, video interaction, games, etc.... and you will find that people tend to either love or hate them.But, as LEAT pointed out in the comments on my last post, each child is different and what works for 1 may not work for another.
    Now for my "Thunderbolt moment" :o)  As I was assessing what about our math program I was unhappy with and why I didn't think it was a good fit, it occurred to me that the problem was not the program. J is not struggling in math, she is doing quite well even BUT she is frustrated. I finally realized the frustration was not with the type of math, with the program we have used, or with the difficulty of it. Her frustration is because I am so limited in how I can help her with school. Because of my current health issues, I am not able to sit with her, be in the same room the while she is working, or go to her when she needs help. When she has a question or a problem she has to come to me. That may seem small but my girl is very social and does her work best and fastest when I/someone is near. I think the stress of our current situation is wearing on her too. School is much less structured and consists of fitting in the bare necessities whenever we poss can.  Anyhow, I may still change brands but probably only if the other comparable one is cheaper than what we got this year.  Being able to really look at the root of our frustrations has really helped me be less frustrated with the math we are using. 

Homeschooling

  As I have mentioned in previous posts, we have used the My Father's World program for our home schooling. It has been a really great fit for our family and I am so thankful for how laid back and flexible it can be. I am afraid we would be repeating 1st grade if it hadn't been because of all that our family has been through this year (Primarily because this program is not labor intensive for the teacher).  I have not been as crazy about our math though and recently started researching other brands...... I have to say that researching home school programs is one of the most overwhelming things that there is! Everyone has an opinion and and often are VERY strong in voicing that opinion.  I am finding that I need to sit down and write our my goals for home schooling, my ideas/theory of education and how I hope to implement that so I can filter what I read through that plan. I recently read 'For the Childrens Sake' by Susan Schaeffer McCaulay. It was a very well written book and I very much appreciated it's views on education. It really addressed a lot the things that I have been mulling over and I am looking forward to re-reading it often. 
I wish that decision making was something that I enjoyed/was good at. I hate making decisions and researching math and such only makes me hate it more! I am hoping that if I actually will sit down and write out my home-school plan it will make the decision process easier.  There is a big Home-school conference in June, I wanted to attend last year but wasn't able to. I am trying to decide if it would help or hurt for me to go this year and if I will feel up to it.  Anyhow, that is what my poor little mind has been mulling over lately..... :oP

Kids...... part 2

 Well, this weekend B said something really funny so, as she got neglected in the last post, I thought I would give her her own post. :o)

On Sat. afternoon we were outside soaking up some sunshine, I was lounging in a camp chair, the kids were exploring the yard and hubby was getting ready to get in the car to go get our mail. B came running up to him and they had the following conversation....

B: Daddy if you see an octopus will you kill it for me please?
Daddy (rather unprepared for this request): What?
B: If you find an octopus will you KILL it for me?
Daddy (rather amused): Why?
B: So I can have his ink.
Daddy: Why do you want his ink?
B: Because I found some feathers! (showing him 2 rather bedraggled crow feathers)
B then dashes off and Daddy is left laughing. Ink for crow feathers? What in the world?  "Well, obviously," I laugh with him " Feathers make pens, pens need ink, and an octopus has ink! :o)  I then told him that I did NOT want him looking for any octopus because if he (who does NOT swim) sees an octopus, it will be the last thing he sees in this life. He laughed and assured me he would be avoiding the ocean. :o) 

I love kids and all the cute things they say!